Can't Make Me Disappear
by Hedderz1
Summary: AU where Mary never went to check on Sam that night in November 1983, but what did really happen? Sam's in high school and things are changing. Who is the mystery guy who keeps showing up whenever Sam's in trouble? Can Mary handle the changes her family inevitably have to go through when the past catches up to her?
1. Chapter 1

The echo of the cracking sound of bones snapping woke Mary from a restless sleep. _Not again_ , she thought. Yet she still turned to her right to be reassured by the sight of her sleeping husband beside her. _He's alright, we're all alright._ Usually she would feel somewhat calmer after convincing herself this but the uneasy feeling wouldn't go away. Mary carefully climbed out of their bed, John only rousing slightly at the weight shifting. She made her way into the bathroom connected to their room, closing the door quietly.

"It's been more than twenty years for Christ's sake!" Mary whispered to her reflection in the mirror.

The years didn't matter though, she still found herself waking every now and then because of what happened all that time ago. John didn't know about her nightmares, she found it hard to believe that he would take her seriously. Mary almost chuckled at the thought; he would for sure think that she was crazy if she explained that it is his death she dreams about. _As long as I'm not interrupted, nobody gets hurt._ Her father's voice-no that thing using her father's voice, often came back to her, to that night when her life was turned upside down. The threat heard in its condition to bring John back still made her stomach clench. It didn't want her soul, it wanted her permission. _Permission to do what?!_ She swore under her breath, the uncertainty of its words drove her mad even now. Ten years had passed, just like it said, and she hadn't seen the demon again. It had said it would come back. Had it? She turned the light switch off and went back to bed.

"Dean, would you mind shutting the hell up? Some people actually have the intention of sleeping!"

Mary heard her youngest son Sam yell through his wall to his brother in the other room. She smiled to herself in the dark; Dean was most likely talking with some girl on the phone.

"Some people actually have the intention of having a life Sammy!" She heard the teasing tone in Dean's response.

"That makes no sense Dean!"

They settled down and Mary felt herself drifting back to sleep. _Demons always uphold their deals_ , was the last thought running through her head before the darkness overtook her.


	2. Chapter 2

"Rise and shine! Another day to soak up knowledge like a sponge, isn't that right Sammy?" Sam groaned. _It should be illegal to be woken up like this_ , he thought to himself.

"Not going to be able to do much shining today, you ass. Would you consider having late night chats with whatever girl it is this time in the garage? I value my sleep."

"Of course you do little brother, that's why you're a loner."

Dean's smug grin was incredibly aggravating.

"And what the hell is that-" He was cut off by his mother's voice coming from the stairs.

"Boys! I didn't know waking your brother up for breakfast would require so much fighting, or what do you say Dean?"

The grin on Dean's face faltered slightly and he headed down to the kitchen.

"Come on Sam, we're leaving in twenty minutes and you better be ready by then if you want a ride to school!" Dean hollered from downstairs.

"Mom, did you know that your son is a nuisance?" Sam asked as he sat down to eat his pancakes.

"Oh, talking about yourself in third person, now are you Sammy?" Dean taunted from his seat opposite Sam.

"Enough! I've had it with your incessant bickering! I know you're brothers but you don't have to overact your parts."

Sam and his brother both looked down at their plates.

"Thank you. Hi honey." Mary said as John came in, his hair ruffled from sleeping.

"Another love fest going on?" He said sleepily and sat down to drink his coffee.

"What else?" She muttered but could help but lightly smile down at her two sons.

"My God, I'm glad I'm not in high school anymore." Dean said as he pulled the Impala over by Lawrence High School.

"Be glad that you were even able to finish it." Sam said with a smirk as he slipped out of the car.

"Not your best come-back Sammy!" Dean yelled after him.

* * *

He watched his little brother hurry through the crowd of teenagers. The clouds hanging in the sky had an ominous look, a look that promised that the sky would open up at any moment. Dean didn't notice the boy watching him from behind the trees as he drove away.

Dean was met with the sounds of a fight between his brother and mother as he came home after working at his dad's garage. The tension in the air was tangible.

"What was I supposed to do mom? He had no right to-"

"You're right Sam but you had no right to hit him for crying out loud!" Mary was usually calm but when she was angry you had to be careful.

"What's going on in here?" Dean asked tentatively. Sam turned to him and Dean saw that his left eye was bruised. Someone had punched him.

"It's nothing Dean." Sam said quietly, drawing back.

"Nothing my ass! Who the hell did this to you?" Dean stepped forward to examine his eye but Sam winced at his touch and swatted his hand away.

"Stop babying me Dean! I was just in a little fight with this guy at school."

"You and fight in the same sentence? What happened? I'm going to kick that prick's teeth in, what's his name?"

"Okay, okay macho man, calm down." Mary said raising her voice. Her face was a little red from agitation. Dean took a deep breath.

"I'm going to get you some ice for that." She said with a nod at Sam's eye and headed to the kitchen.

"Seriously Sam, what happened?" Dean asked, a little calmer now.

"This guy, his name's Caleb, I overheard him talking trash about our family."

"And you hit him?" Dean asked, knowing he probably shouldn't feel proud.

"Yeah, because he wouldn't stop even though I confronted him. After I hit him, well this happened." Sam pointed at his bruised eye.

"That little shit, did you get a good shot?"

"DEAN!" Mary warned from the kitchen. Sam rolled his eyes and muttered something barely intelligible.

"What did you say?"

"I said I broke his nose." Sam looked at his feet, a little ashamed.

"Hell yeah! That's awesome Sammy, wish I would've been the one to do it though." Sam laughed but quickly disguised it as a cough when their mother came back with an ice pack.


	3. Chapter 3

Sam knew that it was wrong to not tell them what Caleb had said, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. _They're better off not knowing_ , he tried to convince himself. It was so weird, Caleb's attitude came out of nowhere, what had Sam ever done to piss him off? The chemistry homework required Sam's attention but he couldn't focus, his throbbing eye and Caleb's words both being distractions. He sat down on his bed with a sigh. " _How about tonight you ask that little mother of yours about who she really is? It would make for one awkward family dinner, let me tell you."_ Caleb's mocking voice echoed through his mind.

"He can go straight to hell." Sam muttered to himself. Caleb had been lucky that it wasn't Dean who he had messed with. Sam wanted to thank the guy who had helped him, but he didn't know his name. After he had been hit by Caleb, a guy, maybe 17, had stepped in.

 _"What's going on here? Get off him man!"_

 _"Go sc-"_ Caleb had started saying but quickly shut up and walked away, no questions asked after one look at the mystery guy.

 _"Thank you, I guess."_ Sam had said hesitantly, rubbing his eye.

 _"Don't worry about it Sam, I'll see you around."_ The guy had said and had then swiftly walked away. Sam had just gotten back to his homework when he realized that the guy somehow knew his name.

"Hey Sammy, if that Caleb kid screws with you again, hell, even looks at you in a weird way, you call the garage okay? I'll be here in 5 minutes." Dean called through the passenger window as Sam shut the door of the Impala.

"Whatever Dean, I can take care of myself thank you very much." He called back. Sam didn't stop long enough to hear his brother's bitter response.

As the hours dragged by Sam grew more and more convinced that it wasn't just his eye people were staring at. A small cluster of sophomore girls were whispering so indiscreetly Sam almost laughed. The atmosphere in the corridors was different, Sam wondered if he was the only one who could feel it. It was a sense that something bad and inevitable was to take place at any second.

"Watch where you're going Winchester!" Sam had been lost in thought and accidentally bumped in to Evan, a guy from his English class.

"Sorry." Sam mumbled and hurriedly walked away to his next class.

Drops of rain started falling from the sky as Sam waited outside the school for Dean to show up. He wished he would hurry up, it was about to pour at any minute.

"Hiya there Sam, how's your eye?" _Oh for the love of-_ it was Caleb, of course. Sam turned to find him standing beside the dead oak tree the school couldn't afford to take down. Caleb looked at him smugly with a very healed nose. _What-I thought I broke it..._ Sam thought, thoroughly confused.

"How come your nose is just fine today?" He asked, trying to sound as confident as he possibly could.

"Herbal tea, does wonders for your skin." Caleb replied, not missing a beat.

"Yeah right." Sam snorted.

"What's your problem with me anyway? Did I do something to-" He couldn't help but ask but stopped when Caleb suddenly stepped closer. His head was slightly tilted, eyes dead-focused like he was stalking his prey.

"You. You're my problem Sam." He unconsciously took a step back.

"Are you two an item or something? Because I can't seem to find any other logical explanation why you just keep…hitting it off." The mystery guy had come out of nowhere, or so Sam thought, he hadn't seen him approach.

"Scram. Go make yourself useful elsewhere for a change." The guy said with a nod at Caleb. He did what he was told and quickly hurried off.

"Why do you keep showing up whenever he's around?" Sam blurted out. Who the hell was this guy?

"Just helping you out Sam." Sam knew he wasn't going to get a better answer. He held out his hand.

"I'm Sam, but you already knew that." His cold blue eyes blankly stared into Sam's and finally took his outstretched hand.

"Name's Brady."


	4. Chapter 4

Mary knew Sam wasn't telling her everything about what had happened. During dinner he had been unusually quiet, only giving short replies when they asked him anything. It frustrated her but she was well aware of that she couldn't force it out of him. Maybe Dean would eventually find out, she knew that Sam was more likely to talk to him about some things than with her.

"Are you coming to bed?" John said, yawning.

"Yeah. Do you think Sam's okay?" She asked as she pulled the covers up. John dragged a hand over his stubble, something Dean always did too.

"He's a hard-working, ambitious kid, Mary. It's only natural if he seems stressed out sometimes."

"Yes you're right, but you know he's a master at hiding what troubles him sometimes."

"True, must have gotten it from his mother." John said with a grin and kissed her forehead. She elbowed his side.

"Don't worry too much honey, he's probably just fine."

* * *

Sam wasn't fooling Dean, he never could. The analyzing looks Dean gave him confirmed his worry for his little brother. Sam wanted to tell Dean about everything, about Caleb's continuous mocking and about Brady, but he had a feeling he would just overreact. As if Dean knew he was thinking about it, Sam heard a little knock on his door before it opened.

"What do you want Dean? It's late." Sam climbed into bed, trying to show that this was no time to talk. Dean hesitated, almost a little awkward.

"Listen, I know you're not telling me everything about whatever it is that's going on. Did that kid do anything again?"

"No, Dean. Trust me, I'm fine." Dean just looked at him with one raised eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Really." Dean sighed.

"Well, you're only fifteen Sammy and I understand-"

"Why thank you Dean, for making me feel like a child, it warms my heart. Anything else? A few tears, maybe a hug?" Dean rolled his eyes, giving up.

"Whatever. Good night bitch."

"Jerk." Sam said as Dean closed the door after him. He let out a sigh of relief and shut his eyes, trying to lock away everything that was troubling him so that he could sleep.

* * *

Dean tried to subtly study his brother during breakfast. _Yup, it's definitely something_ , he thought. Maybe he should look up that Caleb kid, see if…

"Don't forget to pick up that order later, okay Dean?" John called to him before he headed out the door.

"Sure, dad!"

"Hey Sam, ready to leave in a minute?" Dean asked as he got up to put his plate in the sink. He didn't get a response.

-Hello, you awake in there?" Dean snapped his fingers right before Sam's face. He jerked a bit at that.

"Jeez, Dean. What- Yes, I'm ready, we can leave now."

Sam barely spoke on their way to school. _What weight is he dragging around with on his shoulders?_ Dean tried to ease him up but he barely got any reaction. He tried to convince himself that Sam would eventually talk to him when he was ready.

* * *

When Dean had dropped him off Sam recognized Brady standing by the entre doors. He dragged a hand through his brown hair, his face lighting up when he saw Sam coming closer.

"Run in to any fights today?"

"Not yet, but first period hasn't even started yet, so who knows." Sam felt a little better at the attempt of a joke. Brady's mouth twitched a little.

"Well, you got to be careful or you might have to hire me as your personal body guard." Sam chuckled.

"Do you go to this school? I haven't seen you around before." Sam said, trying to fish for any kind of answer.

"Yeah, but we just moved here from Arizona. Dad got a new job." Brady answered quickly, a bit evasively.

"Do you like it here then?" Brady shrugged.

"The people here are okay. Well, except for the occasional moron." He said and Sam knew he meant Caleb.

"Why has that guy been bothering you anyway?" Brady turned the conversation; it was his turn to ask questions.

"Beats me. I've never done anything to him and all of a sudden he's insinuating things about my family, basically trying his hardest to pick a fight."

"Well, try not to worry about it. I'm sure he won't bother you again." Sam was a little surprised at how sure he sounded.

Dean was late. As usual. _How freaking hard could it possibly be to be on time?_ Sam thought, letting out a sigh of frustration. Everyone at school had already left and Sam needed to do his English and biology homework. He would be damned if he failed the test next week because Dean couldn't- Someone was watching him. It was one of those feelings; an uncomfortable but certain sense of that someone was close. Sam turned around. Who else would it be?

"We should start scheduling daily meetings like these, seems like you just can't st-" Sam halted. There were two other guys with Caleb, both with dead serious looks on their faces. Sam felt a twinge of panic and wished Brady would show up, even though he knew it made him a little pathetic.

"Hey, I don't want any-" Sam said holding his hands up but was interrupted by a fist hitting his face. The force in the blow was surprising; he didn't feel the pain at first because of the shock it sent through him. The guy who had hit him, not Caleb, was buff but still, Sam didn't really understand how he could possibly have that kind of strength. He didn't have much time to dwell on it though; another punch hit him on the chin, sending him to the ground. The pain wasn't something Sam was used to and it blinded him for a moment. Sam's instincts told him to roll away and he did, barely evading a kick to the ribs from the other guy who was a little taller. The kick hit him on the thigh instead. _That's going to leave a mark_. Sam managed to drag himself to his feet and started to run away but only made it three steps before big hands grabbed him by his hoodie, momentarily cutting off his air supply. _Are these guys on steroids?_ The force in- Caleb's hands, he learned when he was suddenly turned- was startling.

"What makes you so special, huh?" He snarled, spit hitting Sam's face. The other guys held his arms locked behind his back. Sam was not expecting the tone in Caleb's voice; it was close to infuriated envy.

"Does he have some kind of plan for you? Because I just can't understand why he would go to all this trouble-"Caleb's accusations were interrupted by the roar of the Impala's engine, the wheels coming to a skidding halt. Relief flowed through Sam like a wave but it was short lived when he saw the look on Dean's face. _Oh_ _shit_.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam had thought the look on Dean's face when Sam accidentally had broken one of the Impala's headlights was scary, but it was nothing compared to now. He charged the guys, with nostrils flaring and wild eyes.

"Who the hell do you think you are?! Beating up-" Dean shouted, trying to get Caleb off of Sam, but the tall guy took a swing at him which Dean escaped with a smooth duck. However, he wasn't expecting the other guy, throwing his entire weight into Dean, sending them both to the ground, struggling. The buff guy was getting the upper hand, Sam could tell. He desperately tried to escape Caleb's hold of him, giving him a sharp kick in the stomach. Caleb didn't see that coming, he staggered back a bit, enough for Sam to lunge at the guy beating up his brother. Sam was tall for his age but his strength and weight hadn't really adjusted yet and he was easily dragged backwards by the tall guy.

"Sam!" He heard Dean yell but he was then suddenly given another punch to his face, the pain knocking the air out of his lungs once again.

"You son of a bitch! You hurt my brother again and I swear to God I'll kill you!" Dean had somehow managed to get the buff guy off him and was on his way over to Sam, giving the tall guy a strong kick in the side. Caleb gave a short whistle and the two guys suddenly pulled away, the fight was over. Dean dragged Sam up and he realized he could barely stand; Dean had to hold him up with one arm around his shoulder.

"Where's your friend when you really need him, huh?" Caleb snickered. The three guys started to walk away but Caleb turned around, a mocking and menacing look in his eyes.

"Oh right, I almost forgot. Ask your mother what happened that night on November 2nd, 1983. Or better yet, ask that brother of yours."

* * *

"God dammit!" Dean hit the steering wheel, making his brother jerk a bit in the passenger seat.

"Dean, it's not your fault-"

"The hell it isn't! If I had picked up that order earlier I wouldn't have been late and those guys wouldn't have turned your face into a freaking abstract art project!" Dean was practically shouting. He took two deep breaths, seeing his brother's stunned expression. Sam broke the silence after a minute, his low voice somehow loud in the tense air of the car.

"Mom is going to kill us." Dean chuckled bitterly.

"You could say that Sammy."

"What do you think Caleb was talking about when he mentioned November 2nd 1983?" Sam asked with furrowed brows.

"That's a question I intend to ask him myself, well, before I rip his lungs out!" Dean snarled, temper rising again. Sam ignored him this time.

"He must be high or something, I mean you were just four and I was what? Six months old?"

"Like I said, I will find out. If mom decides to show mercy that is."

* * *

16:53. The boys were late. Well, it meant that Dean had been late and it would most likely result in a fight between the brothers later on. Mary let out a sigh.

"Staring at your watch won't make time go any faster, Mary." John said from the couch.

"Thank you honey for enlightening me. What are you doing?"

"Just watching some old videos, trying to find the one where Dean and I played-well attempted to play baseball. Mike and I were talking old times the other day, now I'm a little nostalgic I guess." John smiled, a little caught up in the memory. Mary couldn't help but smile too; she still remembered that day very clearly, Sam had just been a few months old.

"Haven't found it yet?"

"No, considering how much you used to film it could take a while." He replied gently.

Mary found herself looking at her watch again; they were usually not this late.

"Will they be here soon, do you think?"

He didn't have to answer her; she saw the impala pull up in the driveway. _Something's wrong_. Dean got out of the car and then walked over to help Sam who had to lean on his brother for support. Both of their faces were bruised. _What in the name of-_ She opened the front door before they could reach it.

"John, come here now." He immediately got up to stand by her side when he heard the strained tone in her voice.

"Mom, it's not what it looks like, we can explain." Dean said with pleading green eyes as he carefully ushered his brother inside. John replaced Dean's hands on Sam with his own, sitting him down by the kitchen table.

"Dean, you come home with your brother, late I might add, the both of you bloody and bruised. You'll tell me exactly what happened _now_." The brothers swallowed nervously.

"Get the first-aid kit, John." As John quickly followed her orders Dean went to sit down next to Sam who was intently staring at his lap. Dean gave his brother a nudge and a meaning look, urging him to begin.

"Well, you know what happened a few days ago with the guy Caleb. It didn't stop there, he has kept coming at me, threatening me, and I swear mom, I have no idea why."

"Didn't he say anything at all to you?"

She didn't miss the flicker of hesitation in Sam's eyes.

"He did, but it was about you. He said that I should ask you about who you really are, mom. It was so weird, he absolutely believed in what he was saying." _No, it couldn't be-don't be ridiculous_. Sam's words left a chill up her spine and she shifted uneasily. It would be way too paranoid to even think that this Caleb knew about her previous life, how could he possibly know? John was the first one to respond, setting the kit down on the table and opening it.

"Why would he say something like that?" There was unmistakable anger in his eyes.

"Because his inbred family left him with three brain cells, that's why." Dean muttered.

Mary finally managed to regain her composure. She pushed some hair behind her ear and shot a look at her oldest son.

"What happened after that Sam?"

"I was waiting outside today and he shows up again, but this time with two other guys who I've never seen before. They…they just came at me. Caleb rambled about something, he demanded to know what made me "so special" and then he mentioned someone else. A "he" who had some plan for me but then Dean showed up. "

"Yeah, I swear I tried to get Sammy away but they were super strong. They overwhelmed me and kept beating him up." Dean said, casting a worried look at his parents. It was obvious that he was blaming himself.

"Don't worry, son. You did the best you could." John reassured him with a pat on his shoulder.

Mary felt a little bad when she saw the looks on her sons' faces, what had happened wasn't their fault. She sat down opposite Sam and started to clean his battered face.

"And then they just stopped but Caleb was talking absolute crazy right before they left. He said that we should ask you about what happened on the night of November 2nd 1982." Dean continued.

"83." Sam corrected.

"Right. Does this make sense to any of you? Because I for sure feel oblivious." Dean asked, running a hand through his hair. Mary couldn't do anything but agree, but the uneasy feeling Caleb's words had left still lingered. This day had gotten a whole lot stranger than she thought possible.


	6. Chapter 6

Sam stayed at home for two days, mostly because his parents insisted. They were worried, he could tell. He'd heard them arguing, his dad wanted to call the principle but his mom was sure that it wouldn't do any good. Their disagreement left an awkward atmosphere in the house. Sam and his brother were careful not to bring it up, not wanting to complicate things further. Sam wanted to get back to school; he didn't like the idea of people speculating about what had happened. Rumors about the fight would probably have spread; it was high school after all. Sam was in his room getting ready when Dean stepped in, not bothering to knock.

"Are you sure you want to go today?" Sam could tell Dean really would rather have him stay home another day.

"Dean, it'll be fine. I mean I have to go back sometime anyway right?" Dean looked at him for a moment, calculating.

"Damn, you must really miss those books. Fine, I'm ready to leave whenever you are."

* * *

"Okay Sammy, if anything-"

"If anything happens I'll call the garage. I know Dean, don't worry. See you later."

Sam climbed out of the car and hurried inside. Dean was about to take off when something caught his eye. It was Caleb and the other two guys, standing over by some trees. There was also another guy with brown hair who Dean didn't recognize. _Time to get some answers_. Dean was almost out of the car when he heard that they were having some kind of heated argument. His instincts told him not to interrupt. Instead he got out and pretended to be examining one of the wheels, hoping that they wouldn't recognize him and realize that he was eavesdropping.

"Some kind of special treatment… want answers…" Dean picked up, it was Caleb who was talking and he sounded really pissed.

"Do you have a death wish?!...follow my orders… _his_ orders…" Dean turned his head carefully to see that it was the guy with brown hair who was threatening the others. They actually shrunk back a little. _Wow, he's got them whipped_.

"…him alone for now, disobey one more time and you'll be …" Whatever he said, it must have been bad because the others looked down at their feet and Caleb gave a short but reluctant nod. Dean saw that they were splitting up and quickly got back into his seat. He had thought that he would get some answers but he was now even more confused.

* * *

Mrs. Keller was so wrapped up in her story about the Cold War that she didn't react when Brady slid in to the seat next to Sam, twenty minutes late. _Is he even in this class?_

"Since when are you in this class?" Sam asked him in a hushed tone.

"Since I decided that Mrs. Keller's never-ending monologue is something I can't live without." He might be evasive but still, there was something about him that made you like him. Sam held back a chuckle.

When class ended Sam was on his way to find his friend Austin but was stopped short by Brady.

"Want to join me for lunch?" He asked with a friendly smile. Sam saw the opportunity to learn more about Caleb, maybe he could get some answers about him. Austin could wait.

"Sure" Sam nodded. They started making their way to the cafeteria. The looks some of the girls were giving Brady didn't go unnoticed by Sam, the new guy was always interesting. Brady however, didn't even seem to care. Sam couldn't help but scan the crowd in the cafeteria for the two guys and Caleb who had beat him up but luckily he couldn't spot them. He relaxed a little.

"I'm going to take a guess and say that you had a little run-in with Caleb again." Brady said, eyes roaming over Sam's still bruised face. They sat down at one of the smaller tables by the windows.

"Caleb and his two personal slaves. Thankfully my brother showed up but I swear man, they must hold a grudge or something."

"Did they say anything?"

"Just some more weird stuff about my mom, it makes no sense." Sam shrugged, feeling even more frustrated now, Caleb's words had been a constant echo in his mind since they last saw each other.

"Have you talked about to your mom about it? I mean, they wouldn't go around saying things about her for no reason right?" Sam gave him a questioning look, what was he saying?

"Uhm, well yeah but she has no idea what they were talking about." He said slowly.

"Okay, just saying if I were you, I'd ask her again. It seems a bit odd for them to talk about her if they didn't know something that you don't." He ignored Sam's puzzled look and immediately changed the subject.

"So what's your next class? He said cheerfully and popped a fry in his mouth. _So much for getting answers_.

* * *

Mary hated it when she was having some sort of fight with John, it affected them all. In this case it was almost worse since it must seem like she was not as worried about their sons as John was. He didn't understand it, but letting the principle know about the fight would not guarantee that any more contact with Caleb would cease. Her gut feeling told her that there was something more to Caleb than they knew. As much as she hated it she had to realize that it was possible that the things she had used to hunt had resurfaced in her life. She was on her way to the front door, struggling with three heavy grocery bags. After stepping in she put the bags down in the kitchen to quickly use the bathroom before unpacking. Before she reached the stairs she saw John sitting on the couch with his back turned to her. _Is he home already?_

-Hi honey, did you have a nice day? Mary hated how stiff her voice sounded, they would have to talk soon, this argument was tiring. He didn't answer her. _Either he's ignoring me or he's asleep_. She was just about to close the bathroom door when the phone rang. Muttering curses under her breath at herself for always forgetting where she put the damn thing she finally found it by her nightstand.

"Hello?"

"Hi honey, do you need me to pick anything up? John asked. _Is he in his car?_

"W-what? No, where are you?" She could vaguely hear the rising panic in her voice but the sound of her increasing heartbeat was deafening.

"On my way home. By the way, I hate that we're fighting, we'll have to talk later okay?" Mary felt as though she had just stepped into a freezing shower, her blood running cold. She almost dropped the phone when she heard determined footsteps coming up the stairs.


	7. Chapter 7

Mary rushed to John's side of the bed, frantically searching for the baseball bat she knew he kept under there. With a firm grip on the bat she approached the bedroom door, pausing to listen for sounds outside. It took everything she had to keep her hands steady. _What is that sound?_ Mary edged closer to the door, ear pressed up against the wood. Breaths. Someone was breathing on the other side of the door, probably listening to every move she made. Mary clapped her hand over her mouth to stop the sounds of her ragged breathing. It was very a faint noise but she could have sworn that she heard a small snickering from the other side. Then there was the unmistakable sound of John's car pulling up in the driveway. Whoever was outside quickly headed downstairs. _John._ Mary practically flew down the stairs and was met by John who had just come in through the front door. He took in her appearance with a half amused look on his face, her wild eyes and bat in her hands.

"Mary, uhm, what are you doing?" She halted, desperately trying to find some explanation that didn't sound all too crazy. Clearing her throat she decided on the first thing that came to her mind.

"Surprising you of course. I've always thought that we should start welcoming each other home more enthusiastically, don't you agree?" She forced a laugh.

"With my bat?" He eyed her doubtfully.

"Exactly. I stumbled upon it and it brought back so many memories." She rambled, eyes trying to scan the room for any sign of whoever had been in the house.

"What happened before? Our call just disconnected."

"Yeah, I dropped the phone, you know me, a little clumsy sometimes." Seemingly less suspicious he pulled her in to kiss her cheek.

"Okay honey."

"I'll be right back." Mary fled upstairs, internally scolding herself for being the most horrible liar. A scent caught her nose. It was familiar, a scent she would have hoped to never smell again. She bent down outside their bedroom door, confirming what she'd been afraid of. _Sulfur._

* * *

"Nothing weird happened today at school? Those guys didn't bother you?" Sam felt a little cornered at his mom's sudden interrogation during dinner.

"No mom, I already told you, nothing happened." He would have expected her to relax a little but she remained tense which she had been since he and Dean got home.

"So Sammy," Dean said, breaking the silence. "What invaluable knowledge did you soak up today?" Sam returned his brother's teasing tone with a glare.

Sam spent the rest of the night doing homework, glad to be doing anything that took his mind of everything. When he realized that he would have to get up in six hours he finally went to bed. Even though he felt like he could sleep for a week he still felt restless, constantly tossing and turning. Some time during the night, he felt a hand pull his covers back over him.

"Mom, I'm trying to sleep." He muttered groggily. When he woke in the morning with Dean splashing water in his face he almost felt more tired than before he had gone to bed.

Dean was happily chewing his pancakes when Sam came downstairs, his mom at the stove.

"How did you sleep Sammy?"

"Like I didn't sleep at all. I would appreciate it if you didn't come in to my room in the middle of the night, mom." She turned abruptly, something flashed in her eyes that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Dean, were you in your brother's room last night?" Her voice held a weird tone that Sam wasn't used to.

"No mom, I do actually have better things to do in the middle of the night." Dean said, rolling his eyes. She froze, turning her back to them again. Sam gave his brother a " _what the hell's going on look"_ which Dean returned with a shrug. After a minute she turned again, her posture stiff.

"Grab your things Sam. Dean, get the car, we're going to school. No questions." She said with a voice that made them both immediately look up. Now it was Dean's turn to give Sam the look.

* * *

The ride to school was silent, Sam and Dean knew better than to ask questions when Mary was in this mood. She was aware of their confusion; they kept casting puzzled glances at each other. The realization that the demons were truly after her family triggered an anger which completely clouded her mind.

"Okay boys, I want to you to be honest with me, do you see Caleb or those other guys here?" She said as Dean pulled up at the school. Sam turned around in his seat to look at her, a bewildered expression on his face.

"Mom, what's going on? I told you nothing happened yesterday!"

"Just look Sam." Her unwavering voice made him turn back. After a moment he spoke.

"Yeah, he's right over there," He pointed. "In the black jacket."

"Thank you. Now stay in the car. The both of you." She said with a fixed look at Dean.

"What, I wasn't-"She didn't stay to hear his protest. With resolute steps she made her way to where Caleb was standing. As she approached he gave her one smug look and gestured to the people next to him to leave. Mary could tell that he had expected this.

"Can I help you?"

"Listen to me, you black-eyed son of a bitch, I know what you're up to-"He took a step back, hands raised.

"Whoa, lady, calm down! I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb with me, we both know what you are." His mock hurt expression changed. He looked her over; possibly debating whether killing her right here would draw too much attention. With an arrogant look he blinked once to reveal pitch black, lifeless eyes. She instinctively flinched back a little; she had always found demon eyes very unsettling. He chuckled at her reaction.

"Have you been having any house calls lately, unwanted visitors? From what I've heard nowadays it's really important to stay vigilant, wouldn't you say?" Even with absolutely black eyes they still held a taunting expression.

"You will stay away from my sons, you hurt or come near them again and I'll make hell seem like child's play, do you understand me?" She spat through gritted teeth. Caleb ignored her entirely. She turned to walk back to the impala.

"He says hi by the way. It's been a while." Mary froze mid step and spun around to see his self-righteous face suddenly a lot closer.

"Who are you talking about?" She asked irritably, taking a step back.

"Oh, I think we both know that." A shiver ran down her spine and she turned again, hurriedly walking back to the impala.

"Be sure to tell those boys of yours about what happened that night!" He called after her.


	8. Chapter 8

After their mother's little "talk" with Caleb Sam went to class and Dean drove her back home. When he asked her about what had happened she just said that it was taken care of and nothing to worry about. They both knew that it wasn't true, she wouldn't meet his eyes. After dropping his mother off Dean drove to the garage, his dad and Mike had already started for the day. It would be a busy day and Dean immediately got to work. He was working on a car near closing time, lying underneath it when he heard his dad's voice.

"You need any help there, son?" Dean could only see his boots from where he was.  
"No, thanks anyway."

"Okay, I'm going to grab a bite. Did you make sure that the lift is secure?"

"Yes dad, you know I've done this many times before." Dean couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed at his father's words.

"Just checking." He walked away. Dean let out a sigh and got back to work. The previous events that morning still occupied his mind. He just had to know what his mother had said to Caleb, he rarely saw her so upset. Dean was so engulfed in his thoughts and work that he barely registered whoever entered the garage. A sharp noise snapped him back to reality.

"Hey, Mike is that you? Would you mind handing me that towel over there by the counter?" There was no response. He looked to his right and saw brown hiking boots near the lift stand. The car above him jerked suddenly. Dean felt a slight twinge of alarm in his stomach, who was in the garage?

"Dad?" _Is he deaf or something?_ "Okay this isn't funny." Dean muttered as he started to get out from under the car. The boots came closer and the car jerked again. No, it was coming down. Whoever was by the car was lowering the lift. Dean didn't have much time to react.

"Son of a b-" Panic flooded though his mind as the car now descended to press on his chest. He had to get out or the car would crush him. He gasped for air, struggling to move but it felt impossible. Pain seared through him, had something broken?

"DAD, HELP!" Dean screamed, desperately trying to catch a new breath. After a few seconds he heard steps approaching. In the corner of his eye he saw the brown boots swiftly scattering away.

"Dean! Oh my god, hold on!" There were stars clouding his vision, he needed air, _now_. He finally felt the pressure ease, the lift was rising. Instantly he started coughing and he felt his father's hands drag him out by his feet. He pulled Dean up to his chest, hands quickly roaming over him, searching for injury.

"Are you hurt?" The shock was slowly subsiding but Dean couldn't find the words to answer him.

"Dean! Answer me!" His father's worried voice made him gather his senses.

"I-I don't know."

"What the hell happened? I told you to check the lift!"

"I did dad! There was someone in here, I saw boots. Whoever it was started lowering the lift. I didn't have time to get out." His father's eyes darkened and he looked away, jaw clenching.

"We need to call the police, whoever did this will not get away with it."

"And tell them to put out an APB on anyone with brown hiking boots? Dad, we have nothing to go on." John sighed in exasperation.

"Well, we have to do something. Now we're going to get you to the hospital."

"What? Come on dad, no, I'm fine." The last place Dean wanted to go right now was the hospital, he'd always hated them.

"You're in pain Dean, I can tell, and you're forehead is bleeding. We're going." Dean reluctantly let his dad help him to his feet.

* * *

 _If I had a nickel for every time Dean was late…_ Sam was waiting outside school, Dean once again God only knows where. Brady had joined him however and Sam appreciated the company. They had had been paired up for a history assignment and they were discussing it when Sam heard the Impala coming closer. _Why is mom picking me up?_ She hardly ever did, that was Dean's job.

"Alright, got to go now, see you tomorrow."

"See you Sam." Brady headed towards the parking lot.

"Hi, mom. What are you doing here?" Sam asked as he got in to the passenger seat.

"John took your brother to the hospital; he's been in an accident." Sam looked up sharply.

"What? Is he okay?"

"Yeah, it didn't seem too serious from what John told me but I don't know if they've seen the doctor yet." He noticed that she was driving faster than usual and her worry was evident in the way she tightly held the steering wheel. Sam couldn't help but also feel worried; Dean rarely got hurt, except for in the occasional fights he got himself into.

Mary was out of the car as soon as she turned the engine off and Sam struggled to keep up with her, even with his long legs. They asked for directions and were met by John outside Dean's room. He was pacing intently but looked up when he heard their steps.

"How is he? What on earth happened?" Mary asked as she gave him a quick hug.

"Right now I would say he's never been better. They gave him an MRI but luckily there were no signs of internal bleeding and-"

"Internal bleeding? Dad, what happened?" Sam interrupted incredulously. John hesitated, as if he was unsure himself.

"Dean was under a car working and he says that someone came in. Whoever it was lowered the lift. I barely got there in time." He said, voice faltering a little at the last part. Sam noticed Mary tense and her face told him that she fought hard to hide whatever it was she was thinking.

"What? Did you call the police?" he asked.

"Yes, but they'll want to talk to Dean soon too.

"Can we see him?"

"Yeah, the nurses should be done patching him up."

It didn't take long for Sam to understand what his dad had meant by that Dean never had been better. He looked like a kid in a candy store as the two nurses finished cleaning his bruises and cut to his forehead.

"Hiya there Sammy!" Dean looked up happily as they entered, cheeks lightly flushed. Sam noticed Dean's eyes had a weird shine to them. He seemed unusually happy for someone who had just escaped death.

"Lookie here, this is Brian and this is Amy." He winked at Sam, gesturing to the two nurses who were visibly a bit bothered.

"It's Brianna." One of them corrected.

"Whatever you say sweetheart." Dean said confidently.

"Did they give him something?" Sam tried not to laugh. Judging from his father's face, he wasn't the only one.

"Yes, for the pain when they had to examine him. He's got a few bruised ribs. They said some people react like this." Mary went over to his side and kissed his cheek, brushing his hair slightly with her hand.

"Mom, come on, I'm not dying or anything."

"But you came close to it, Dean." Her voice was a lot sharper than any of them had expected. "Sorry." She mumbled, looking away. The nurses left the room.

"Okay, one of us has to check on the house. I'll go, are you coming Sam?" John said.

"No, I'll stay, dad."

"Can you get some stuff from the house for us?" Mary asked, sitting down in one of the chairs.

"What is this, a freaking slumber party? Be sure to bring the chick flicks too, dad." Dean said, slurring a bit and rolling his eyes. John gave Mary a nod and left the room. Dean sighed and scratched his forehead, suddenly very preoccupied by the bandage that had just been placed there.

"Dean, don't touch that." Sam said, pushing his hand away. _This will be an interesting night._


	9. Chapter 9

"Sammy, did you know that you're like really tall?" Dean said with a snort as he fiddled with the TV remote. Their mother had fallen asleep in her chair. Sam noticed the furrow between her brows; something was troubling her, even in her sleep. He got up and placed a blanket over her curled up figure.

"Yeah, Dean, kind of hard to miss." Sitting back down in his chair next to Dean's bed, he pondered whether Dean was too out of it to answer questions about what had happened.

"Do you know what happened earlier today Dean? Did you see anyone in the garage?" He asked carefully. Dean's jaw tensed and he looked down at his lap.

"Just…just brown hiking boots. That's all I saw. It must have been a guy at least."

"Okay, that's good. He didn't say anything?"

"No, Sam. I told you, that's all I know." His voice was suddenly edgy; he didn't want to talk about it anymore. Sam looked away and shifted uneasily in his seat.

"I'm going to try to get some sleep, see you in the morning." Dean rolled over to his side, back facing Sam.

"Okay, good night."

Sam had somehow managed to fall asleep in the uncomfortable chair. Muffled noises woke him and he immediately sat up, dragging a hand through his hair. _What's going on? Is that-_ In the dark hospital room he could make out his brother restless shape, he was having some kind of bad dream. Sam scooted closer in his chair, should he wake him? A bead of sweat had formed on Dean's neck and he kept shifting from side to side.

"No…Stop." He gasped as if he was struggling to catch his breath. Sam turned to look at his mother in the corner, but she was fast asleep.

"Help- I can't bre-"He almost sobbed. Sam stomach clenched at the sight of his brother's writhing. He shook Dean's arm, he didn't care if he'd be pissed off or embarrassed.

"Dean, wake up." His eyes flew open and he instinctively grabbed the first thing he could reach, which happened to be Sam's arm.

"Ouch, Dean, let go. You're okay, you were having a bad dream." His grip on Sam's arm loosened. Sam could see that he was slowly but surely returning to reality.

"Sorry, uhm…didn't mean to wake you. I'm fine now." Dean muttered, clearing his throat.

"Dean, do you want to talk about it? You were dreaming about what happened right?"

"What are you, my therapist? Nah, Sammy, I'm fine. Just had a dream about baby, she was in a scrap yard. Happy now?" Sam knew his brother well enough to know that he only acted this way because he was scared.

"Dean-"

"Sam, what do you want me to tell you? Yeah, I almost died. Is it weird that it happened right after everything with Caleb? Yes. Can I do anything about it? Probably not." Dean said in a hushed tone, careful not to wake their mother. He ran a hand down his jaw and sighed.

"What kind of sick person would do something like that?" Sam said heatedly, looking out the window.

"Beats me, Sammy. I don't think I've made someone hate me that much." Dean replied sleepily. With a big yawn he puffed up his pillow.

"We should go back to sleep."

"Yeah." Sam saw that his brother was already half-asleep. He also yawned but all the recent events clouded his mind. What was happening? Everything that had been going on lately usually happened to someone over the course of several years. _It can't be natural_ , he thought bitterly to himself. It was a rude awakening to say the least.

* * *

Dean's restless dreams didn't stop but they weren't as intense after Sam had woken him up. A ray of light hitting his face in the morning woke him up, turning to his right he saw that it was just 06:30. A lump weight on his legs made him look down. His little brother was asleep in his chair but resting on the foot of Dean's bed. Dean couldn't help but smile a little to himself. Sam looked about 5 years younger, mouth slightly open and snoring lightly, he was gone to the world.

"Hey Sammy, you're getting drool all over my leg." He said with mock disgusted voice as he shook his leg a bit. Sam jerked up abruptly, looking around confusedly. He wiped at his mouth after he realized what Dean had just said.

"What?" He mumbled groggily as he rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?"

"Bright and early, just like you like it. Why waste a perfect morning sleeping, huh?" Sam groaned in response after casting a look at the clock on the wall.

* * *

Dean's doctor decided that it was ok for him to go home, something Dean was visibly very relieved to hear. After a few last words from the doctor he was instantly on his way out of bed. Mary didn't miss him wincing as he did so.

"Dean, take it easy. You did bruise your ribs so it's completely normal that it hurts." He only grunted at her words, stubbornly gathering his things. Mary saw her youngest son roll his eyes. After some cursing Dean was ready to go. It only took a few steps for them all to realize that walking would be hard. Sam was immediately there by his brother's side as he clutched his chest with a muffled groan. Dean however ignored the help.

"The doctor said you will have to rest for 3-4 weeks Dean, so you might as well start taking it easy now."

"Come on Sammy, I'm not 80 years old, I just have a few bruised ribs. And I will not sit on my ass for 4 weeks, let me tell you."

As they made their way to the car where John waited, Mary was in deep thought. She knew she had to make changes around the house. Salt would have to placed by all windows and preferably by all doors, but she knew that the latter would be harder to explain. She would not let those demons come near her sons again. Almost grudgingly she had realized that what had happened to Dean was a reaction to her confrontation with Caleb. They had decided to show who really had the upper hand. _But what exactly did they want?_ What Caleb had said also bothered her, something about November 2nd 1983. How did the demons expect her to remember that day specifically? What significance could that day possibly have? She would have to find out somehow.


	10. Chapter 10

It was weird going back to school. With everything that had happened lately Sam inevitably felt different while everyone around him had remained the same. It wasn't that he liked living this action packed life all of a sudden but at the same time the dullness of the everyday high school life was now very apparent. Seeing Dean so passive was also something new and it was clear to everyone around him that he hated being on house arrest. The day dragged by slowly, Sam's mind wandering in history class. Once again Brady showed up late, but no one seemed to care. Brady had this nonchalant vibe about him and no one bothered him, the teachers barely raising an eyebrow when he showed up 40 minutes late. Sitting down next to Sam he gave him a confident smile.

"Hi, it's been a while since I saw you." Sam said.

"Yeah, life's been keeping me busy you know. What have you been up to lately?" _I don't even know if I know anymore to be honest._

"More weird stuff I guess, my brother was in an accident." Brady's eyes widened. The bell rang and they got up, heading to the cafeteria. _Why does he even bother coming to class?_

"Is that so? Is he okay?"

"Yes, I think having to stay home now for a while is hurting him more, he's climbing the walls." Brady chuckled lightly.

"Well, at least he's alright, that's what matters right?

"Right. You know, we're kind of behind on our history project. Maybe we should meet up after school sometime soon to finish it?" The fact that they were behind didn't seem to faze him the slightest.

"Sure thing. Let me know when and maybe we can meet up at your place?"

"Sounds good."

* * *

Knowing Dean, his parents realized that if they got him to stay home and rest for a week, they were lucky. The just sitting around was killing him, he would almost gladly follow Sam to school. _Jesus, is that what I've come to?_ They wouldn't even let him pick up Sam so he basically had nothing to do. His mother let him help her around the house a bit, but there is only so much cleaning to do. She had been acting a bit sketchy lately, casting cautious looks very now and then. While lying on the couch he was greeted by his mom's voice, she was now the one picking up Sam.

Dean slowly got up to meet them; he still had to be careful not to make any sudden movements.

"Hey, how was school Sammy?"

"It was fine." Dean saw the little twitch to his mouth as he suddenly came to think of something funny. "You know Dean, you're kind of like a house wife now, greeting us and all. It suits you." He said, grinning. Dean scoffed and turned around.

"Shut up Sammy." Something in the windowsill by the kitchen table caught his eye. Is that sugar? He wet his finger to try it, which he immediately regretted.

"And that is not sugar, why is there salt by the window, mom?" She turned to him as she hung her coat, looking caught off guard.

"Uhm... Air freshener sweetie, something Mrs. Greene told me about." The brothers gave each a dumbfounded look.

"Really? What, is Sammy here stinking up the place?" It was Dean's turn to grin now.

"Shut up Dean." His brother shot back.

"No, just trying something new." Their mother was not the best liar and she was usually not so evasive.

* * *

Mary had known she would have to explain the salt somehow but she still found herself cornered when her oldest son asked about it. But what could she do? The salt had to be there and there wasn't any way to hide it. During dinner John had only given her a questioning look but she had shrugged it off with a smile. The salt wasn't exactly one of his main concerns. They were in the living room, John still looking through their old movies and Mary flipping through one of the magazines their neighbor Anne insisted that they should read. _She probably just wants to spare herself the trouble of throwing them away._

"Honey, were you trying to make a reality show? Some of the stuff you filmed is just absolutely pointless, no offense." She rolled her eyes and nudged his side. Mary didn't film nearly as much nowadays but then she had loved documenting everything, trying to capture every moment. From when Dean met his little brother at the hospital, when John had just opened the garage with Mike, when Sam was just a few months old and she had caught Dean trying to feed him candy. Mary smiled at the memory, she could still hear Dean's voice; _"But mommy, he was crying so I thought that it would make him happy again."_ She then had to explain to him that Sam didn't have any teeth yet and that giving him regular foods was dangerous.

"What year are you on?" The TV showed them having picnic in the back yard.

"82, I think." Something clicked in her as an idea formed.

"We don't happen to have 83?"

"It would be weird if we didn't." Mary wasn't oblivious to the fact that demons lied, it was in their nature but she needed to know if that day in November meant anything.

"I have to check something, could you hand me the tapes?"

"Sure." She started looking them through. November 82, February 83, March, June, September, November 83. There it is.

"Put this in, would you? I want to see if there's anything on November 2nd."

"Okay." John replied slowly, not quite understanding what she was getting at.

"There is just footage from November 3, 14th and 25th." He said after a while. She sighed.

"Well... Try the one from November 3." He did as she asked. The TV showed Dean, almost 5 years old, sitting on the couch in his pajamas with a cup of milk.

"Did you sleep well honey?" She heard her own voice from behind the camera. _God, do I sound like that?_ Dean looked at her secretively and nodded.

"Really? Someone here was up in the middle of the night when he should have been in bed, isn't that right?" Dean guiltily looked down at the cup in his hands.

"There was a nice man, mommy. He told me he was Santa Claus." Next to her in the present time, John frowned. He didn't remember this and Mary only had a vague recollection.

"You were dreaming, Dean. Christmas isn't until next month."

"But he was in Sammy's room; he said that he gave him a present." Mary might not have felt anything then but now Dean's words left an eerie feeling creeping up her spine. She remembered it more vividly now, the night before this was shot she had woken up with Dean standing next to her bed.

 _"What are you doing up sweetie?"_

 _"There was a nice man in Sammy's room, mommy._ She had immediately gone to check on Sam in his nursery, but of course, there was no one there. In the light of the little moon lamp on Sam's wall she had seen Dean's face more clearly.

 _"What's this red around your mouth, Dean? Did daddy give you one of those candies before bed?"_ She had said, wiping at the corner of his mouth. After that they had called the man Dean's imaginary friend. He'd only talked about this friend for a short period of time but she remembered that she and John had been a bit concerned. Now, she knew better and the realization that someone might have been in the house dawned on her. She internally scolded herself. _So stupid, naive, all wrapped up in baby blues back then..._ She got up and John turned the TV off.

"Are you okay honey?" She turned her back to him, she couldn't let him see her face, not now. Mary had ignored the signs and now she knew that she'd been terribly wrong to do so. _"He says hi by the way"._ Caleb's words made her shudder now. All the fear she'd felt all those years ago came rushing back with a ferocity that nearly left her breathless.

She then felt John at her side, touching her arm.

"Mary, what's going on? Talk to me."

"I... I'll be right back." Mary rushed upstairs to Dean's room. He was lying on his bed but quickly sat up with a surprised face as she entered. She realized that she must look pretty frantic.

"Dean, I need you to try to remember something. This will probably sound odd but do you remember when you were almost five years old, you had this imaginary friend. Does that ring any bells?" He looked at her blankly for a moment, processing everything she'd just said.

"Uhm... Why do you ask?"

"Please just think Dean." He scratched his head, thinking for a minute.

"Barely, I remember you and dad talking to me about him."

"Him? So you do remember?"

"Well, just that it was this man. I really thought he was real but of course I outgrew it."

"Do you remember anything else?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose and scoffed to himself.

"Yeah, the strangest thing. His eyes, they were yellow. Weird right?"


	11. Chapter 11

Dean wasn't expecting the shock that reflected in his mother's eyes. Just like he didn't expect her swaying slightly to then crumble to the floor, eyes rolling back. He was by her side in an instant. The sudden movement hurt his chest but he barely registered it.

"Dad!" He yelled, panic evident in his voice. Gathering her head on his lap he saw the rise and fall of her chest, she had just passed out. Sam was suddenly in the doorway, staring down at the scene with a shocked expression.

"Mom! Dean, what happened?" He sank to his knees on their mother's other side, grabbing her wrist to check her pulse.

"I don't know, we were talking and she just passed out!" Their father came rushing in to the room. He swiftly ushered Sam away and gathered Mary into his arms.

"Mary! Come on, wake up honey." He said, voice shaky with worry as he pushed hair away from her face. Mary's eyes fluttered and they all let out a sigh of relief. She put one hand to her forehead, eyes squeezed shut as if she were in pain.

"No…no, no." She mumbled almost inaudibly. Dean cast Sam a look, what was she talking about? Sam returned his brother's questioning look with a shrug.

"Mary, what happened? Are you alright?" John asked gently.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She cleared her throat and shifted to sit up straight. "Low blood sugar I guess." John looked at her for a second before giving his sons a meaning look, they were going to talk. Dean and Sam hurriedly walked out, closing the door after them. Sam turned to walk to his room and Dean followed.

"Dude, what the hell is going on?" He asked Sam as he shut the door. Sam sat on his bed with and exasperated sigh.

"Dean, how should I know? You were there when it happened."

"We were just talking about old memories. Mom asked me about my imaginary friend that I had when I was like 4 or 5 years old. She just passed out." He dragged a hand down his face as he sat down next to Sam. "Do you…is this my fault?"

"No of course not Dean, I'm sure it must have been something else. She just wants to act like everything's fine, that's why she gave that weird excuse. Kind of like someone else I know." Sam reassured him, the corner of his mouth rising a bit at the last part. Dean scoffed. A few moments passed in silence, both brothers deep in thought. Dean's eyes skimmed around Sam's room, the blue doodle on the wall bringing back memories. Sam had drawn on the wall when he was about three years old. Dean had told him off, immediately causing his little brother to wail, big teardrops falling down his chubby cheeks. When their mother had asked about the new artwork Dean had taken the blame, not wanting to see any more tears from Sam. Their mother had let it slide with one eyebrow raised, she wasn't stupid. They had tried washing it away but it had stuck and no one had bothered to paint it over. Dean couldn't help but smile a little at the memory; things really had been a whole lot easier back then.

"Is it just me or have things completely spiraled out of control lately?"

"That's one way to put it Sammy. I swear, our lives feel like some bad scripted, low budget soap opera all of a sudden." Sam gave a small chuckle.

"Seriously though, there has to be something else going on that we don't know about, right?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, seems like dad is in the dark just like us. But you know mom, she won't tell us what it is unless she wants us to know." Sam hummed in agreement, dragging a hand through his hair.

"It's like she's connected to it all, to Caleb and those guys. And right after she spoke to him you were almost killed." His voice was bitter. "That can't be a coincidence, can it?" Dean shrugged.

"You got me Sammy. Wish I knew what the hell was going on. Maybe I should ask that Caleb guy, trust me, he knows things." Dean said his jaw clenching as he stood up.

"I trust that when you say "talk to him", it probably means that fists will be involved. You saw them Dean, they're dangerous." Dean was intently pacing the room.

"And I'm not some huggy bear. He has to pay for what he did. I won't see him beating you up again." Sam humphed, glaring up at him.

"I'm not a helpless child Dean." Dean smiled a little at his brother's stubborn expression that made him look about five years younger.

"Nah, you're just my pain in the ass little brother. And you fight like a girl." He said ruffling his brother's hair slightly. Sam irritably swatted his hand away.

"Do you think they're done talking? They're kind of occupying my room." Dean asked. He put his ear to the door, the sudden slam of a door making him jump.

"Yeah, I would say they're done."

* * *

Mary couldn't bring herself to tell John the truth; she didn't even know where to begin. She could only imagine the hurt he would feel, would he believe that their lives had been a lie from the start? What would he say about the deal she made to save his life? The deal which now seemingly had affected their sons, but what she didn't know was how. The fear and guilt made her stomach wrench as she lay in bed. After she'd fainted they had talked but she had insisted that it was most likely low blood sugar, like she'd told her sons. She knew that none of them bought it but it would have to do for now. John had left the room in angry frustration; reluctantly realizing that he wouldn't get a better answer from her. He would probably sleep on the couch tonight. Restless sleep with worried dreams overtook her eventually. Mary was in her old living room, her parents' house. She felt a twinge of surprise at how detailed the room was, details she'd forgotten. The clock by the windows showed 14:26. She then knew for sure that it was in fact a dream since it was pitch black outside when it should have been broad daylight. _Why am I dreaming about this?_ She suddenly heard footsteps approaching. It was John, smiling at her as he sat down a tray with three cups of coffee on the table her mother had painted herself. _John… he's so young._ He had to be at least be 20 years younger. He got to her side and kissed her cheek.

"Your father's getting the cookies."

"Cookies? What- dad?" She stared at him incredulously but was interrupted by her father walking in to the room.

"So, all done now. Please, help yourselves." He said with a warm smile. His voice brought tears to her eyes; it had been so long since she saw him. She threw her arms around his neck, inhaling his familiar scent. _How can a dream be this real? This isn't even a memory._ She didn't remember this; her father hadn't exactly been thrilled about her relationship with John.

"Honey, what's gotten into you? Are you alright?" He asked, patting her back carefully. She pulled back, unsuccessfully trying to hide her snivels.

"Wait-" She said as she sat down by the table. John sat down next to her as he handed her one of the coffee cups. "Why are you in my dream?" Her father blinked.

"Dream? Honey, what are you talking about?"

"You don't remember what happened? You died, dad." He snorted.

"Don't be so morbid, Mary. Now, how are Sam and Dean?"

"They're f-" She froze. "How do you about them? You've never met them."

"I think we both know that's not true, isn't that right?" He said and blinked once, revealing those yellow eyes she had hoped never to see again. He smirked as she dropped the coffee cup in pure shock. She only vaguely felt the stinging when the coffee burned her skin. _It even feels real…_

"You-why are you in my dream?" She managed to ask, trying to somewhat regain her composure and at the same time trying to get as far away from him as possible. He would not get to see her weak.

"Because I wanted you to have this dream. It's been a while since we last spoke, Mary."

"Why now? What do you want?" She spat.

"Remember all that time ago when I told you that I would be back for a favor if I brought him back?" He said with a nod at John.

"Well, you didn't interrupt me when I came back. Congratulations, who knows what could have happened." The smug tone in his voice was unnerving.

"After that I left you and your precious family alone. Now, however, I need you to sit back. There are still things I need from your family."

"What the hell are you talking about? I will not let you break my family." She hissed.

"Oh, but this one here is already broken, don't you remember?" With a flick of her father's wrist she felt John next to her slump down to the floor. The crack of bones when his neck snapped made her cringe and she quickly rose to her feet.

"You sick son of a bitch, what-"

"Now, now, calm down." An invisible force threw her back in her chair, it was impossible to move.

"I'm sure you understand that I'm the one in control here. I made sure that your loving husband is alive and breathing as we speak in the real world. I can easily reverse that favor. What I'm interested in are your sons, they will be of great use to me, in ways you can't even begin to understand. You will let me do what I need to do, is that understood?"

"Go to hell! Like I would let you use my sons? Over my dead body!" He looked her over for a minute.

"Let's hope it won't have to come to that." She was then back in her bedroom, sitting bolt upright and gasping for air.


	12. Chapter 12

After their mother's little incident things were awkwardly tense around the house. John was upset that Mary wouldn't tell him what really was going on and Mary acted in a way her sons had never seen before. She seemed drained and the same time on edge. With everything at home Sam was glad that he had school. Trying to avoid the heavy raindrops falling from the sky, he hurried towards the school entre doors. He was stopped short when he out of the corner of his eye saw a dark shape moving. Turning around, there was no one there. _Great, and now I'm paranoid._

"Debating whether to skip class?" Brady's voice coming from behind him caught Sam off guard. He cleared his throat and forced a smile.

"No, mom would kill me. So you decided to show up on time today?" Sam said jokingly.

"Yeah, guess it was time to grace everyone with my presence." Brady replied with a twinkle in his eye.

"About the history project, is it ok if we finish it today?"

"Absolutely, I'll meet up with you later." Brady nodded enthusiastically.

On the way home they took Brady's car, some modern model that would have Dean cringing at the very idea of driving it. As they pulled up in the driveway Sam realized that Brady hadn't asked for directions to his house.

"How did you know where I live?" Sam said, closing the passenger door. Brady shrugged.

"You must have told me at some point."

Sam unlocked the door to find that by opening it, he had spread salt all over the floor. _First the windows and now the floors?_ He noticed Brady hesitating behind him, shifting uneasily.

"Mom, why is there salt on the floor?" He called as he stepped inside, sweeping the salt away with his foot. His mother came walking in from the kitchen with nervous eyes, roaming over Sam and Brady behind him.

"Who's this?" She asked stiffly, completely ignoring his question.

"Oh, this is Brady, a friend from school. We've been assigned a history project, have to finish it today." Relaxing a little she nodded. She started to walk away but turned again.

"By the way, Dean's at the garage, please try to talk some sense into him later, he should be resting. I couldn't force him to stay home anymore." She muttered bitterly, the last part a little to herself. Sam turned to Brady, smiling awkwardly.

"Welcome to my house, I guess."

* * *

Before his mother had had the chance to say anything Dean had rushed out the door, the idea of staying home for another day made him itch. She would undoubtedly be pissed later when he came home. His father had only looked at him for a moment and had then relented with a sigh when he'd showed up at the garage. He did however ban him from doing anything too physically challenging. Seeing his dad underneath one of the cars brought back memories that unwillingly made him shudder. Just to be sure he checked for the second time that the lift was secure. Dean was at the garage alone when it was time to close up. As he locked the door he could sense someone behind him. Turning around he saw a man standing there, middle age, with a small smile on his lips.

"Hi, can I help you?" Dean asked cautiously. There was something off about this man; Dean had the urge to back away from him. He took a little too long to answer.

"Yes, I have a car that needs some repairing; I've heard that your father's garage is the best place around here to go to." Dean doubted that there really was a car. The man stared at him, almost fascinatedly. Dean cleared his throat as he returned the man's gaze. Something within him clicked, there was something familiar about him but Dean couldn't put his finger on what it was.

"Good to hear. You can swing by tomorrow and we'll have your car fixed." He said, trying to put on a polite smile that probably ended up looking like a grimace. The man nodded and started to walk away.

"Wait. Do I know you from somewhere?" Dean couldn't help but ask. The man looked at him with a secretive, almost smug smile. He then shrugged.

"Perhaps. See you around Dean." He turned again and Dean could have sworn that the man's eyes flashed yellow.

Dean rushed to get home, feeling extremely uneasy after talking to the man. _I'm officially creeped out,_ he thought as he got closer to home. How did he know his name? As he got out of the car he felt the unmistakable scent of lasagna. With a rumbling stomach he hurried inside, almost bumping in to a guy who was on his way out.

"Whoops, sorry. Who are you?"

"Brady, Sam's friend from school. Nice to meet you." The guy said with a smile that didn't quite reach his cold blue eyes. "Bye Sam, see you." He said with a nod at Sam who stood behind Dean. He quickly got into his car which Dean had been too preoccupied to notice in the driveway. _Wait, I know that guy…he's was the one-_ The realization made him sharply turn to his brother.

"Sammy, what is he doing here?" He asked intently.

"We finished a history project, why?"

"You need to stay away from him, I mean it." Sam looked at him with a frown, he was getting annoyed.

"Dean, what's going on? You don't even know him."

"Yeah, and neither should you. He's bad news. I saw him some time ago, after the fight with Caleb and those other guys. He was practically threatening them, telling them to follow someone's orders. Whoever that is and whatever it is that they're a part of, it's not good Sammy, trust me."

"But that makes no sense. When everything started with Caleb, he kept showing up. He helped me Dean."

"Why didn't you tell me that?" Dean asked angrily. Sam looked down at his feet before he answered, realizing that he'd slipped up.

"Didn't think it would matter." He muttered.

"Whatever. I need you to stay away from him, he's dangerous. I know what I saw and heard."

"Then why would he go to the trouble to defend me Dean? You can't tell me what to do."

" _You can't tell what to do."_ Dean mimicked impatiently, capturing his brother's childish tone. "I can because I'm the oldest." He said even though he knew it would probably piss him off even more.

"Shut up Dean!" Sam complained loudly, stomping away towards the stairs.

"Boys! What's going on?" Mary voice came from the kitchen.

"Dean's a pain in my ass, that's what's going on!" Sam yelled from the stairs.

"What else are brothers for?" Dean hollered back. He sat down by the kitchen table with a frustrated sigh. _That stubborn little…_ Sam may not believe him but there was something fishy about Brady, whether he liked it or not. _Maybe Brady, Caleb and those guys are all a part of some gang._ Looking up, he saw his mom looking down at him with her hands on her hips. Yup, she was pissed, she had not forgotten about this morning. He put his face in his hands, stifling a groan. _Awesome._


	13. Chapter 13

The following morning Dean woke up later than usual, it seemed like the current events had exhausted him. After splashing some water in his face he sighed at his reflection in the mirror, his green eyes tired. _What is happening to us? That Brady kid is trouble…_ His confused thoughts never seemed to cease. Dragging a hand down his face he went down the stairs to find his mother alone in the kitchen. Last night she'd given him the "you need to rest, we care about your health-speech" which he had nodded his way through, his mind somewhere else completely. As he grabbed some toast from the counter he noticed his brother's absence.

"Morning mom, guess I overslept. Where's Sam?"

"Oh, I didn't want to wake you, you needed your sleep honey." She mused as she flipped through the morning paper. He coughed to hide an annoyed snort, of course she hadn't, she wanted him to stay at home. "That friend of his, Brady, is that his name? Yeah, he came by just a few minutes ago to give him a ride to school." Dean nearly choked on the coffee he was drinking. _That son of a bitch-_

"What? Did they just leave? He said fervently, wiping coffee away from his chin with his sleeve.

"Yeah, is everything all right?"

"It better be." He hurried out the front door, ignoring his mother's puzzled expression.

* * *

Sam hadn't expected Brady to drop by, offering a ride to school. He was grateful though, a ride with Dean was the last thing he wanted right now. What his brother had told him was strange, he'd give him that. But at the same time it didn't make any sense, Brady had been nothing but a friend to Sam, why would he somehow be involved with Caleb and the other guys? The car ride to school was filled with friendly conversation and Sam couldn't help but notice that it took longer than usual, Dean drove faster.

"Would you want to hang out after school? I know this cool place." Brady asked as they stepped out of his car. Sam pondered it for a few seconds; he'd never hear the end of it from Dean. _Who cares?_

"Sure. I'll see you here after school." As Brady headed towards the school gym Sam heard the familiar roar of the Impala's engine. _Oh, come on_ , _really?_ He turned to face the impala, coming to a halt right before him. Dean stepped out and jerked the door shut.

"Where is he?" He said in a strained voice, eyes roaming the parking lot.

"Dean, what the hell is your problem? He gave me a ride to school for Christ's sake!" Sam spat, trying not to raise his voice too much.

"What my problem is Sammy, is the fact that this little "friend of yours" most likely had something to do with me getting beaten up once and you twice. He's not who he says he is."

"Brady _is_ my friend Dean. You can't tell me who I should and shouldn't be friends with, it's ridiculous." Sam said, stepping closer with clenched fists. Dean was getting on his last nerve.

"Grow up Sam. What's ridiculous is you trusting him just because he helped you. That's exactly what he wants, don't you see that?"

"I see that you're desperate to blame what happened on someone. And that someone is Caleb, not Brady."

"…Thickheaded, stubborn little..." Dean muttered under his breath but Sam heard.

"Go to hell Dean, I'm done here and I can take care of myself!" He started to walk towards the school, mumbling curses about his brother to himself.

"Fine. Looking after you has proved to be more than a full time job anyway, and you know what? I'm done." His brother called after him and soon after he heard the impala head off. Sam didn't want to admit it to himself, but Dean's words hurt a bit.

Sam's argument with his brother left him feeling low for the rest of the day. When his last class ended he couldn't wait to get out of there, hopefully whatever Brady had planned it would take his mind of his annoying brother. Brady was waiting in his car with the engine on, smiling when he saw Sam approaching.

"Ready to go?" Brady asked as he pulled away from the school.

"Sure, where are we going?" Sam asked curiously. He didn't answer at first, eyes focused on the road.

"What? Yeah, uhm, you'll see. It'll be fun, trust me." Sam frowned at his sudden secrecy. Brady turned the radio on and the air lightened slightly. A few minutes of silence passed.

"How was school today?" Sam found himself jerking a bit at Brady's words; he'd been lost in thought, staring out the window.

"You know, same old, same old." Brady nodded in understanding. Sam didn't miss the constant glances Brady casted in the rear-view mirror. Was he expecting someone to follow them? Sam couldn't help but feel a little uneasy but decided to ignore it when he once again remembered Dean's words. They were going west from Lawrence on route 40, that much Sam could tell but he didn't recognize were they were. _Where are we going?_ After passing the only sign Sam had seen for a while, Stull, they stopped. Sam's suspicion grew, this place was practically deserted. From what he could see there were only a few houses, nothing more. Brady didn't step out of the car. He simply stared out the window, an eerie smug forming on his lips. Before Sam had a chance to ask what was going on he spoke.

"Did you ever find out who tried to hurt your brother that day in the garage?" Sam looked at him dumbfounded, why was that important now?

"No, why-"Sam realized that he had never told him that, just that Dean had had an accident.

"Okay, I've had it, tell me what's going on and what we're doing here Brady. You're freaking me out." He said through clenched teeth, stepping out of the car. It was late March and the air was still cold. He zipped up his jacket, trying to keep still with the shivers running through him. Brady got out to stand in front of him.

"He wanted to see you Sam." Something struck him in the face, sending him to the ground. The last thing Sam saw before unconsciousness hit him was Brady's brown hiking boots coming closer.

* * *

Dean didn't pick Sam up after school; he'd called his mother and asked if she could do it instead. He'd heard in her voice that she understood that something was going on between them but she didn't ask about it over the phone. For probably the fifth time that day, Dean felt a twinge of guilt over what he'd said to his little brother. He hadn't meant it but in that moment all his patience had vanished. When Dean stepped through the front door he could immediately sense that something was wrong. His mother was in the kitchen on the phone, worry etched across her face and his father standing behind her with a hand on her shoulder. Sam was nowhere to be seen.

"Ok, thanks, call me if you hear anything." Mary hung up the phone and sat down at the table with a heavy sigh.

"Mom, what is it?" She looked up at him, surprised, as if she only just now realized he was there.

"I went to pick up Sam a few hours ago and he wasn't there, I haven't heard from him either. Please tell me Dean that you have an idea of where he could be? This isn't like him." The knot he'd had in his stomach all day tightened and he cursed to himself. _Goddammit, I told him to stay away-_

"Dean?" His father's voice made him look up.

"Okay mom, I might have an idea of what's going on but you have to promise that you won't kill me."

* * *

Mary hadn't begun to fear the worst until Dean told him what he knew about Brady. She was trying to keep her breathing steady but she knew she was failing miserably. A part of her tried to reassure her that it was nothing, that Sam would be fine. Another part of her screamed; _A demon has your son and it's all your fault!_ John was still asking Dean questions but Mary barely heard them, the roaring of her blood in her ears temporarily shutting everything else out. What was she supposed to do? Where was he? Did Brady take him to the other demon? _No, no, no_. A hand came down on hers and she realized she'd been squeezing it tight enough to leave red marks on her palm.

"Mom, I know you know something we don't. You've been acting weird for weeks now." She looked up to see her son looking at her closely. He was restless; he was always like that when he was worried.

"Dean, don't-" John started.

"No, dad. You know I'm right." Dean snapped. They were both looking at her, waiting for her to answer. She had wished for them to remain in the dark about all the things that go bump in the night, to let them have that innocence that kept them safe. But they weren't safe anymore; she had to tell them, tell them what she'd been hiding most of her life. There was no going back now.


	14. Chapter 14

"Dean, come on, she did not kill her husband." Sam said with his mouth full of popcorn. Dean huffed.

"I'm telling you Sammy, she's got that look, he was probably screwing that secretary and when she found out-"Dean imitated cutting someone's throat. "He didn't live to see another day." Sam irritably pushed away Dean's feet from his lap; his brother was sprawled out on the couch, taking up more than half of the space.

"But, what's to say the secretary didn't kill him?" Sam shot back. Dean rolled his eyes.

"That makes no sense-"A grin spread on Dean's lips as an idea formed. "Unless-unless the secretary was screwing the wife and wanted the husband gone, huh Sammy?" He playfully nudged Sam in the side and Sam snorted at his brother's farfetched ideas. They continued watching the movie in comfortable silence. Sam suddenly felt cold, had the temperature dropped? He grabbed one of the blankets and saw Dean's stiff posture. He was staring into thin air, eyes no longer fixed on the TV. A chill ran up Sam's spine, there was something wrong, something off.

"Dean, what's going on?" He tentatively touched his brother's shoulder. Dean sharply turned to him, panic and urgency written across his face.

"You have to get away from there Sam. You're not safe."

"What? I'm right here." Dean gripped his shoulders tightly.

"No, you're not. You were taken. You have to wake up!" Dean shook him and Sam tried to escape his brother's tight grip. Dean's behavior scared him, he never acted like this.

"What-"  
"Wake up! Open your eyes Sam!"

Cold. He was so cold. _Where am I?_ Sam forced his eyes open and he felt a sharp pain in his head. Sitting up he rubbed his temples, the scenery around him coming into focus. It was a cemetery. He was no longer on the couch with Dean, had it just been a dream? Pain seared through his head again as everything caught up with him. He had been kidnapped. By Brady. _Dean was right about him_. Sam stood up, cursing at his own stupidity. _Oh, man they will be pissed._ He had to get home, but how? He was in the middle of nowhere. Sam had seen the sign, what was it? Stull. He'd never heard of it. A crow cawed; it was sitting right next to a grave, staring at Sam with its empty, black bead eyes. His instincts told him to get out of there but something in his peripheral vision stopped him short. He turned, there was a man looking at him. He appeared to be in his fifties and as he came closer Sam noticed his eyes. He blinked; he'd probably just imagined it. No, the man's eyes were yellow. Piercingly so, Sam immediately thought of a reptile's eyes.

"Hi Sam." Sam took a step back.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?" The man looked amused.

"I've known you for quite some time now Sam. But you don't know me. Not yet." Sam looked around, panic rising; he had to get out of there.

"There's no point in trying Sam, trust me. You and I have some catching up to do. My name is Azazel. Not the most common name I know." He added with a quick smile, flashing white teeth. Sam got the feeling that this man really loved to hear himself talk.

"Why am I in a cemetery? I want to go home, my family-they'll be worried." Sam stuttered.

"You're not just in some cemetery Sam; this place holds a great significance." The man-Azazel-seemed to enjoy dragging it out, did he think the suspense was necessary?

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about what your mother has been hiding from you your entire life. You see, your mother has quite the past. Feisty personality, I got to say, personally, I've always appreciated that." Azazel chuckled to himself, seemingly caught up in some memory.

"What the hell do you know about my mom?" Sam spat, who did this man think he was?

"She was a hunter Sam, and no she didn't shoot deer and whatnot, she and her family-your grandparents-hunted the supernatural." Sam blinked, what was this man smoking?

"I'm not crazy Sam." Azazel said, eyes narrowing at his reaction. "Quite the opposite actually. As you've probably noticed, I'm different. I'm a demon." Sam couldn't help the nervous laughter that escaped him.

"And I'm Santa Claus. Please just let m-"Azazel raised his hand and pain shot through Sam. He doubled over, panting. Finally, the pain subsided.

"I need you to listen to me. I've brought you here for a reason. You have to be prepared for what's coming."

"And what's that?" Sam was still struggling to catch his breath. Azazel looked him over for a minute and then smirked. Why didn't he answer him?

"You're special Sam, special in ways you don't understand. Essentially, both you and your brother Dean are, but I'm still not sure how that turned out." Azazel paused, brows furrowed. "I guess it didn't work the same way on him, but I do have myself to blame there I suppose, side effects are fully possible." Sam stepped back once again, he was freaking out. What was he rambling on about Dean?

"One last time, why am I here?" Sam said, trying his best to keep his voice steady.

"This right here Sam, this is where it all begins." Azazel said gesturing, eyes roaming over the cemetery eagerly. "And this is where it will all inevitably end." His eyes rested on Sam's, making him shiver with unease. This couldn't be real-could it? Sam then felt something warm running down his chin, the strong iron taste in his mouth immediately sending his hand to wipe it away. Blood, it was blood. Disgusted, he tried to spit it out. He distantly heard Azazel laughing. _A dream, it has to be, this can't be real_ , Sam frantically tried to reassure himself.

"This is not happening right now, it can't be…I want to wake up." Azazel stepped closer to Sam, grasping his chin with a strong hand, forcing him to meet his yellow eyes.

"Then open your eyes Sam."

Sam gasped for air as his eyes flew open. He was in a room tied to a chair- no-in the ruins of something similar to that, there was no roof. The sight right in front of him made his blood freeze. A strangled scream echoed and it took a few seconds for him to realize that it came from him. It would haunt him for the rest of his life. In front of him was Brady, slouched over in a chair, shirt drenched in blood, some still pulsing from his throat. It had been cut. Too shocked to even breathe Sam felt the iron taste of blood in his mouth, that part he hadn't dreamt. _Did I- is that…his blood?_ Before he had a chance to gag or scream, anything, he heard that voice behind him. Azazel walked to stand in front of him, blood dripping from the knife he held in his hand, his eyes proud in some sick way.

"That's more like it, wouldn't you say?"


	15. Chapter 15

Dean sat down opposite Mary, eyes focused on her tense figure. They were waiting for her to answer. Just as she opened her mouth there was a knock on the door. They all jumped a little in their seats and Dean didn't miss the stifled sigh of relief escaping his mom. John went to open the door.

"Can I help you?" John said brusquely, obviously annoyed at the interruption. Whoever was outside chuckled.

"I was hoping you could actually. Is that pretty little wife of yours home?" Mary's eyes widened and she bolted upright from her seat, rushing to the door. Dean quickly followed, that voice was familiar somehow.

"How dare you show your face here?" Mary snapped through gritted teeth. _Who is she talking to? No…_ Caleb. It was Caleb. Dean froze midstep, blood running cold. _Sammy._ What happened next was a blur; he pushed his way through to Caleb, Mary almost falling over. Caleb met his furious gaze with a smug that only widened when Dean grabbed him by his shirt. He barely registered shouting as he yanked Caleb inside.

"Dean, no! The salt!" _The salt?_ The distraction was enough for Caleb to send a sharp blow to Dean's chin, knocking him to the floor. By the front door he saw salt spread all over the floor, he'd scattered it when he had pushed Caleb inside. _Why the hell did that matter now?_ Dean saw his dad stand frozen for a second to then give Caleb a hard shove that sent him stumbling towards the stairs, his head hitting the wood. Dean was up on his feet but John gripped him tightly by the shoulder.

"Get off me dad, he knows where Sam is!" Dean yelled, eyes never leaving Caleb. The blow to his head should have knocked him out but he was now sitting up, rubbing his head and taking in the scene.

"Calm down Dean!" Dean looked up surprised; John hardly ever used that stern tone with him. "Mary, call the police." He said more calmly, ushering Dean behind him. The laughter that unexpectedly erupted from Caleb had Dean charging towards him again but his dad was quicker.

"You son of a bitch, what did you to my brother?" He shouted as his dad once again pushed him back. John turned to Dean, forcing him to meet his eyes.

"I need you to calm down and tell me who this guy is. Is he the one who-"A sickening crunch abruptly interrupted John. Mary was standing in front of Caleb, a bat in her raised hand. _Where did that come from?_ Caleb was clutching his side; the blow had probably hit him in the ribs. Dean realized that they were stupidly just standing there, their jaws agape. Since when was his mother violent?

"What did you do to Sam? Where is he?" Mary's voice was eerily calm. John hurried to her side, trying to pry the bat from her hand.

"Mary, what are you doing? Call the police for God's sake!" She ignored his attempts and shifted the bat to her other hand.

"Step back John." Caleb chuckled again, sitting up straighter against the stairs. Dean saw his mother's eyes harden and the bat swung down, effectively breaking at least one bone in Caleb's leg. A groan escaped his lips but it smoothly turned into a bitter laugh.

"Again, where is my son?" She hissed.

"Oh, you'd love to know that wouldn't you?" Mary raised the bat again, ready to strike. "Wait, wait!" Caleb said, his hands raised. "I'm here to deliver a message. I'm sure you know from who." John's eyes met Dean's in confusion.

"Mom, what is he talking about?" Dean said. Caleb's eyebrows shot up in mock surprise.

"My, my. I see you've left your family in the dark. Now, how does one live with a secret like that?" Caleb taunted. Mary's jaw clenched, eyes nervously darting to John and Dean behind her and then back to Caleb.

"What's the message?" She asked stiffly.

"He wants you to know that Sam will be fine, as long as you don't go looking for him. He has to do what he has to do with your son, but I'm sure you knew that already." Dean was caught off guard when the bat suddenly hit Caleb hard on the shoulder.

"Mary, stop!" John yelled, grabbing her arm. "Who is he talking about?" Mary shook his hand off of her, taking a step closer to Caleb.

"Tell me where he is or I swear to god I will kill you!" Caleb studied her curiously for a moment and then fixed her with a smile that sent chills down Dean's spine.

"Close to home." Caleb's body jerked and his head threw back, black smoke rapidly shooting out from his mouth, forming a cloud above them. Dean stumbled backwards and tripped on his own feet, the shock leaving him on the floor. He saw Mary usher John's frozen body behind her, his eyes round as the impossible took place right in front of them. The black smoke vanished out the door and Caleb's body slumped against the stairs. The following silence left a ringing in Dean's ears, what had just happened? He sat up, blinking. Mary glanced at him but her full attention was averted to John when he without a word sat down on the couch. She followed and hesitantly reached out to touch his shoulder but was stopped when he gave her a cold look. Dean had never seen his dad look at her like that.

"John, please talk to me." She said quietly. He ran a hand down his face, staring straight ahead.

"I'm too old for this." He muttered. Dean got up to sit opposite his dad. Every step took some effort, the shock had drained him somehow. Mary opened her mouth but closed it again, not finding the right words. Dean looked up, was his dad shaking? He realized that he was laughing and it was so wrong in that moment that Dean uncomfortably shifted in his seat.

"This was some kind of sick prank right? You can't expect me to believe that-that guy…that all that just happened?" He stopped laughing when he saw Mary's serious eyes.

"No, I can't expect that from either of you," She said looking at Dean. "And this is not how I wanted you to find out, believe me. But what just happened is real; I don't know what else to tell you." She hopelessly looked down at her lap. This was all too much, Dean couldn't help but snort.

"Mom, no offense but this is…simply too bizarre. What the hell was that guy?" She looked at him for moment before answering.

"A demon. Well, a demon possessing Caleb's body." Dean didn't know what he'd been expecting but it sure wasn't that. John's head jerked up, staring at his wife.

"You're not kidding, are you?" He said disbelievingly. She just shook her head in response, letting out a heavy sigh. "I can't believe we're actually having this conversation right now." John mumbled under his breath.

"How do you know he was a demon?" Dean almost cringed at how ridiculous the words sounded coming out from his mouth.

"Because I was raised to know about and hunt things like him. There aren't just demons out there. My family and I were hunters Dean. That's why I've never told you much about your grandparents." Dean blinked, trying to remember anything about them but she was right, she had barely told him anything. John huffed.

"So if what you're saying is true, why did you think it was a good idea to wait this long to tell me-tell us?" John's voice was ice cold.

"It's complicated J-"John cut her off, his tone rising.

"No, you want to know what's not complicated Mary? Telling the truth to begin with. You have been hiding this-whatever this is- from me since the first time we met, or am I wrong?" Dean's stomach clenched, he hated seeing his parents fight but this time it was different and much worse.

"Yes but I did it to keep you safe-"

"Don't give me that crap Mary. How safe are we now, huh? How safe is Sam? I mean, do you have any clue of where he is?"

"No, not yet. But I intend to find out, trust me." John chuckled bitterly.

"Why Sam, who has him?" Mary looked up with uneasy eyes at John's words, hesitating.

"Years ago, we hadn't married yet, a demon possessed my father. It killed my mother." Mary swallowed and cleared her throat. "And- he-it-killed you John." John just stared at her, like he was seeing a stranger in front of him.

"The demon offered me a deal. To bring you back in exchange for a favor." Mary didn't continue right away.

"What offer, mom?" Dean said impatiently.

"He was very vague, but what he said was that he would come to my house in ten years and that he shouldn't be interrupted. I had no idea what that meant, you have to believe me. But now I know for sure that he wants something from Sam. And you Dean." Dean saw tears well up in her eyes. John shot up from his seat, his body tense in anger.

"And you made the deal? Why the hell did you do that- you've put our children in danger-" He yelled.

"Because I wanted you alive John, and the children weren't born yet-"

"Like that matters Mary! If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is!" His face was red; Dean had never seen his father so angry. Mary looked down at her lap again, a single tear slowly rolling down her cheek. John sat back down. Dean was too stunned to even think, was it even possible to process everything that she had just told them?

"Mom," Dean said after a minute, breaking the silence. "This…this demon has Sammy?" She nodded, wiping another tear away.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure. I still don't know exactly what it is he wants though. But I don't trust what Caleb said, the demon needs Sam for something." Dean felt his stomach drop, what would happen to his brother?

"Is he going to hurt him?" John jerked at Dean's words, giving Mary a cold questioning look. She tucked a blonde lock behind her ear, sitting up straighter. There was now a determined set to her jaw.

"No. Because we're going to find him first."


	16. Chapter 16

Sam had lost track of time, had it been just hours or days since he was taken? The throbbing pain in his head woke him from dreams that made him wish he would never fall asleep again. For some reason the pain had come when he'd been given the blood. The thought of it made his stomach clench once again but there was nothing for Sam to throw up. The hunger had eased by now; it had simply left a numb feeling in his body. Azazel hadn't showed up again, not since Sam learned that Brady was dead. Sam could feel Azazel though; he knew he was being watched. His limbs ached from sitting down for too long and his wrists were bruised from the ropes that tied him to the chair. Sam had tried everything he could think of, he had screamed himself hoarse but there was never any answer. He had tried to get loose, struggling against the ropes until the pain was too much.

Sam was dreaming, he knew he had to be. He was walking through the cemetery he'd been in with Azazel. No matter how far he walked, the cemetery continued on, stretching as far as his eyes could see. Sam forced himself awake but his eyes refused to open. It was as if the dream wouldn't let go but at the same time he could feel the chair he was sitting in. Panic bubbled up, making Sam breathe faster. _What's happening?_ His vision turned foggy and the persistent pain in his head suddenly increased. A lot. He groaned, it felt like his skull was about to explode. The cemetery was gone and the impala was now coming into view. It wasn't clear, the more Sam tried to focus on what he was seeing, the blurrier it got. The impala was speeding down an empty road, who was driving? Sam tried to relax; unsuccessfully ignoring the pain that felt like his head was being split in two. It was Dean, talking to their mother in the passenger seat. He could barely make out John in the back seat.

"I hope we're not too late, he has to be fine." Mary said urgently. The dream was fading; Sam could feel himself slowly returning to reality. Before it was gone completely he heard the sound of Dean stepping on the gas. Sam woke gasping, the dream had felt so real. He almost fell backwards in his chair when he saw yellow eyes close, studying him curiously. Azazel chuckled and sat down opposite Sam who blinked furiously, forcing himself to alertness. The pain had resided a bit and he took a shuddering breath of relief.

"What was that?" Sam demanded.

"What?" Azazel blinked innocently.

"You know what! You made me see that just now, didn't you? That dream? Just like you did before." Azazel looked at him with an amused expression.

"That was no dream Sam, I didn't plant it. It was a vision."

"A vision?" Sam didn't bother to hide the disbelief in his voice.

"Precisely. I've been waiting for it to start, that's why I gave you the blood. Truly fascinating, I must say, now I know what I need to know."

"Waiting for it to start? What are you talking about?" Azazel smiled and leaned closer.

"I've already told you that you're special, Sam. You see, when you were a baby, I paid a little visit to your house. What you're seeing now, your vision, that's the effect a few drops of my blood left on you." Sam just stared at him, what was he saying? Could he even be remotely serious?

"So I'm some kind of freak? You're lying."

"No Sam, I'm not lying. Wish I could say the same for your mother." Sam froze, he had talked about his mother before, how did he know her?

"What do you know about my mom?"

"Perhaps more than you do. I told you she was a hunter but there is so much more than that, you have no idea Sam. She's the reason you're here." Sam's head snapped up, finding those yellow eyes he'd tried to avoid intently staring at him. He could only bring himself to look for a few seconds; there was something so wrong about it, something so…undeniably unhuman.

"And why would my mom be the reason I've been kidnapped by some demon?"

"She made a deal with me, a long time ago. To bring your father back to life in exchange for that visit to your house ten years later. She barely hesitated, I guess what I would do later didn't matter. As long as your father was alive." Sam wanted to wipe that smirk off of Azazel's face. He fixed his gaze on the ground; he wouldn't listen anymore to this crap.

"Think about it. You knew she was hiding something, you've noticed for some time now. But she didn't tell you what she knew, about her old life. She didn't tell you the consequences of her deal with me, and she must have known right? But of course she couldn't tell you that she'd cursed her own children. That wouldn't exactly make her mother of the year, would it?"

"Shut up!" He snapped. Azazel snickered lightly.

"In time you will see I'm on your side, Sam. I will never be the one holding you back; I know your full potential."

"Potential for what?" Sam could tell Azazel was enjoying this, toying with him. He leaned even closer, breath hitting Sam's face, making him instinctively cringe back.

"The end."

* * *

2 days, 48 hours. Mary felt utterly hopeless; she couldn't bear another day without knowing where her son was. Her eyes were swollen and red, she didn't know a person could cry this much. She leaned against the kitchen counter with a cup of steaming hot coffee in her hands. The warmth was soothing and so was the caffeine; sleep had been pretty much nonexistent since Sam was kidnapped. She shifted restlessly, what had Caleb meant when he said " _close to home"_? They had searched the neighborhood without any luck; Sam couldn't be close to their house. Caleb had woken up a while after the demon had left his body. He had been terrified, he'd been there all along when he'd been possessed, trapped in his own head. Mary had tried to calm him down but he'd fled out the front door in sheer panic. Who knows what the demon had done using his body, had he killed anyone? John was by the table on the phone with the police, he had insisted that they should call them and she hadn't put up a fight. The lump in her throat made her turn around, heavy teardrops falling down her cheeks. She would never forgive herself if her son was harmed. Mary didn't notice John ending the call but suddenly his arms were wrapped around her, holding her against his chest.

"We'll find him Mary, it's going to be ok." Mary couldn't understand how he could forgive her for her lies; she was the reason for all this.

"John, if-if he's hurt, I won't- God this is all my fault." She whispered through her snivels. John turned her around, bringing her chin up so she would meet his eyes.

"Hey, hey, Mary you did what you had to back then. I understand, you couldn't know what the demon would want." He stroked her hair back and kissed the top of head. "I'm so sorry, about…you know. I shouldn't have been that harsh."

"You had every right to be. I should've told you sooner, but you know, not something you confess during a casual family dinner." John chuckled and wiped her tears away. They turned when they heard Dean clearing his throat. Mary felt a twinge of worry when she saw him, dark circles underneath his eyes and his hair tousled.

"Any news?" He asked quietly. She shook her head.

"Did you get any sleep honey?" It was past dinner time but they all tried to sleep whenever they could. Dean had been up all night searching the town, asking people if they'd seen anything. He looked at her blankly for a moment and then realized that she'd asked him a question. He ran a hand down his jaw.

"What- no, couldn't fall asleep." Anger rose in her, that demon would pay for what he was putting her family through.

"I swear, when we find that demon, I'm going to send him straight to hell!" She swore under her breath. John blinked and looked down at her.

"So, that's where they all come from-hell?"

"Yeah, it's their home I guess. But more of them are now walking the earth, more than usual." _Wait-_ something clicked in her mind. What had he said? Close to home. He couldn't have meant their actual home-hell, but he could have meant something very close to that. A gate to hell, as close as you could get. Mary realized they were looking at her, seeing the change in her expression. She cursed again, this time at her own stupidity, why hadn't she realized this sooner?

"John, would you please hand me the map over there?" He quickly did as she asked. Okay, she knew this. Or she had, a long time ago. Her father had taught her this, about the legends of the seven gateways to hell. Her eyes roamed over the map. There were many theories about these gateways but she had learned which of these were actually true. Mary doubted that he would keep Sam too far away from Lawrence, but where would he take him? _Topeka? No, I'm pretty sure there's no gate and it's too far._ What was that other one? She let out a sigh of frustration, the gate she'd come to think of was in Leicester, Massachusetts. _Where are the other ones?_ For a brief second there was a flicker of hope but it passed quickly, there was another one in Wyoming. _Dammit, too far away, there has to be one closer._ Her eyes skimmed over the town Stull, too small to be a town really, it was technically just a few streets. _That's it._ She was sure, people in town had always talked about Stull, it was just around 11 miles west from Lawrence. She knew the legends were true about that place, she had a faint recollection of her father telling her about it. Mary felt hope surge through her. She knew where her son was.

* * *

Dean stepped on the gas, forcing the impala to go even faster. If the police wanted to pull him over they would have to follow, he wasn't stopping now. They had rushed to the car when Mary had figured out where Sam was. It was getting darker and the headlights lit up the empty road ahead of them.

"I hope we're not too late, he has to be fine." Mary said next to him. He stepped on the gas again. They would not be too late. 20 minutes later Dean brought the impala to a skidding halt. From what Dean could see, this place was pretty much dead, only a few houses by the road.

"Okay, Dean, Mary, you check the cemetery over there and I will search this street and ask if anyone's seen or heard anything." John said, slamming the door shut. Dean nodded and hurried away with his mom by his side. Her nervous hands fumbled with the flashlight and he grabbed it, turning it on.

"Thanks." She mumbled, eyes focused on the path before them. It was hard to see, the cemetery wasn't lit at all. Dean hurried his steps and Mary struggled to keep up with him. He had to be here, Dean didn't know what they'd do if he wasn't. _God, when we find that kid I won't let him out of my sight ever again_. The fact that the last time he'd seen his brother was when they had fought left a heavy weight on Dean's shoulders, the guilt leaving him sleepless.

"Wait!" Mary said, Dean's eyes had adjusted to the dark and he could make out her shape. She was gesturing for him to keep quiet. "Did you hear that?" He listened. It was almost inaudible but what he heard had to be a muffled groan. Dean set off in the direction where the sound came from, Mary falling behind. He halted to listen again. There it was again, that sound.

"Sammy, is that you?" He called, hurrying towards the sound. After a few steps he could make out a dark shape slouched against a gravestone a bit from where he was standing.

"Dean?" The figure mumbled groggily and stood up on unsteady feet, slowly walking towards Dean. The relief that washed through Dean nearly brought tears to his eyes as he ran to his brother.

"Sammy!"

Sam tripped and fell on his feet but Dean caught him before he hit the ground. He gathered his little brother in his arms, kneeling on the ground.

"Mom, over here!" Dean yelled. Sam's head slumped against his shoulder.

"Hey, Sammy, look at me, look at me. Thank god, I thought- Are you hurt?" He asked, voice wavering as he brought his brother's head up. Dean could see that there was something around his mouth, was it blood? Sam's eyes fluttered, he could barely keep them open. Dean put a hand on his forehead, pushing hair away. _Jesus, he's too cold._ Had he been out here all this time?

"Sammy, talk to me!" Dean heard the panic rising in his voice. "I'm here now, okay, you're going to be fine. Did he hurt you?" Sam looked at him sleepily, eyes drained of all energy.

"I knew you'd come. Took you long enough though." Sam mumbled with a sad smile. A tear fell down his cheek and he started shaking. Dean hugged him closer, what had he been through? He could hear his mother coming closer and he shook his jacket off, the kid was absolutely freezing.

"Sam! Oh thank god." She cried as she knelt down next to them. She kissed Sam's head as her hands roamed over his body in search of any injury. Sam turned to her slowly, his eyes fixed on her with a look of hurt and betrayal. Mary froze and Dean searched his brother's face, what was wrong?

"Sam, are you okay?" She asked, pressing a hand to his cheek.

"You lied." Was all he said before his eyes rolled back as he passed out, body sagging in Dean's arms.


	17. Chapter 17

Sam could feel strong hands haul him to his feet. _Dean?_ Right, they had found him. He was slipping back into the darkness but he fought it, he somehow knew that he had to stay awake. Those mornings after he'd spent half the night studying were nothing compared to this, he was so tired. Someone was calling to him in a pleading, desperate voice. The voice was too loud. Sam couldn't fight it anymore, he wanted to sleep, a warm feeling spreading though his body, replacing the terrible cold that had made his teeth clatter.

"Damn it! Mom he's too cold, we have to hurry!" Sam vaguely felt his brother half-drag him, another set of hands helping him. His stomach churned when Azazel's words echoed through his head, _"She's the reason you're here."_ She had lied to him, to all of them. They were approaching light and Sam blinked painfully. _God, my head hurts._

"Sam! What's wrong with him?" A voice demanded worriedly. Sam forced his eyes open enough to see his father in front of him, helping Dean usher him to the impala. Hands grabbed him once more, lowering him down. The movement made his stomach roll again and he feebly tried to push the hands away.

"Wait, I'm going to-" Sam croaked before he threw up on the ground next to the impala. Exhaustion hit him again and he would've collapsed entirely if it weren't for the hands that steadied him.

"Easy, Sammy. You're going to be fine, we're taking you the hospital, okay?" Sam's eyes briefly fluttered open, Dean was in front of him, helping him to the back seat.

"Mom, is that…did he throw up blood?" Sam heard Dean ask, worry evident in his strained voice. His brother's words made him groan, the image of Brady's cut throat behind his eyes. _Not my blood_ , he wanted to say but another wave of darkness took him under.

* * *

The puddle of blood on the ground made Dean if possible feel even more worried. Did Sam have internal bleeding? His jaw clenched. _When I find that son of a bitch...-_

"Dean! Keys!" His father's voice snapped him out of it. Dean tossed his father the keys and quickly got in the backseat next to his little brother. Mary slammed the door as she got into the passenger seat. John didn't waste any more time and stepped on the gas. Sam's head lulled against his shoulder, he was passed out again.

"Sammy, wake up! I need you to wake up okay?" He held his brother's head between his hands. Sam's eyes fluttered as Dean shook him lightly. They had to get him warmed up or he would go into hypothermia. Mary seemed to be thinking the same thing. She turned to him in her seat, eyes insistent.

"Dean, please tell me you keep a blanket in here." Dean felt helpless, he internally scolded himself. _Why don't I have a blanket in here? He could die-_ He felt himself snap, he couldn't help it.

"No mom, why the hell would I keep a goddamn blanket in here? Of course, you know, if you check in the glove box you might even find some tea." It was too much, his mom's secrets, the demon, Sam barely conscious next to him.

"Dean, enough." John said, meeting his eyes through the rear-view mirror. Mary shook her jacket off, handing it to Dean.

"Take this, better than nothing." He nodded, giving her a small smile of apology. He felt a little bad; he knew that he shouldn't be taking it out on her. Dean tucked the jacket over his brother. He could see that they were close to the city and he gave a sigh of relief.

"Hold on Sammy."

* * *

"No Sammy, what you want to do is hit the ball with the bat, not with your arm, okay?" Sam stood a few feet away from him in their back yard, rubbing his arm while he glared at his older brother.

"Then why do you throw the ball so hard, Dean?" He sighed defeatedly, looking at the ground. "This was a bad idea." His small shoulders sagged. Dean tried to hide the smile on his lips as he went over to his brother's side.

"Hey, this was your idea, remember? You'll learn eventually, trust me. But you have to practice early on if you want to make it." Sam looked up at him, rolling his eyes.

"I'm nine Dean. I just want to know the basics so I can play with the other guys. They think I'm weird, sometimes they stare at me like I'm some kind of freak." He said quietly, looking down again. Dean frowned, he didn't know this. He put an arm around Sam's shoulder so he'd look up at him.

"Don't worry about them okay? If they give you any trouble, let me know."

"Yeah, bet that would be popular, calling my brother for help." Sam huffed.

"I'm serious Sam. But you have nothing to worry about; I mean you have your awesome brother to teach you, right?" Sam rolled his eyes again but a smile spread on his lips as Dean playfully ruffled his hair.

"Okay, let's try again, this time without any bruises. Mom will kill me." Dean backed up and got ready to throw the ball. The ball flew through the air and surprisingly enough Sam hit it with the bat, sending it flying past Dean's head.

"Way to go Sammy! Told you that you'd get the hang of this. We'll try again, okay?" Sam nodded eagerly. Dean threw the ball again but this time Sam swung the bat too early, the ball hitting him on his forehead as a result. Sam groaned and clutched his head, muttering under his breath. _Don't laugh, Dean._ Too late, he couldn't help the laughter that escaped him; the look on his brother's face was priceless.

"Dean!" Sam yelled angrily. Dean stopped laughing and cleared his throat.

"Sorry Sammy. Well, we did see some progress there before, but your head working as a bat isn't ideal, alright?" Sam shot his brother another glare but Dean didn't miss the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.

Dean's eyes flew open as his dad dropped a magazine on the table next to him. He sleepily dragged a hand through his hair, sitting up straighter. What time was it? _07:10_. Dean barely remembered falling asleep. _God, that dream was so real, it was like I was actually there_. Hell, he thought he'd forgotten that day until now. He smiled to himself; he did remember that Sam had asked him to teach him how to play. His smile faltered when he remembered the accusing look his mother had given him when she'd seen the huge bruise on Sam's forehead. The thought of Sam brought him back to the present. He sharply looked over to the hospital bed where Sam was talking to their father. Dean studied his brother as he went over to them; he'd barely said anything when they'd got here last night. The doctors had managed to get his body temperature under control again, they said that other than that, he was fine and would be going home soon.

"How are you feeling Sammy?" Sam looked up at him with tired eyes and John patted his shoulder.

"I feel much better. Can't wait to get out of here though." Sam said with a small smile. Dean huffed and sat down in the chair next to the bed.

"I'll get some coffee, okay?" John said and Sam nodded.

"You have to stay here for as long as they say you need to, alright?" Dean said when their father had left the room. The roll of his brother's eyes was expected.

"You're one to talk, Dean, you practically fled out of here a few weeks ago." _Damn._ Dean frustratedly pinched the bridge of his nose; couldn't he just listen to him for once?

"Well…I'm an idiot, you're not." Sam chuckled and looked down at his lap. Minutes passed and the silence almost hurt Dean's ears. They hadn't talked since that fight. Dean took a deep breath.

"Listen Sammy, I'm so s-"

"It's okay Dean." Sam cut him off.

"No, it's not. I shouldn't have left you like that and I sure as hell shouldn't have said what I said." He caught himself rambling.

"I know you didn't mean it, okay? You were upset and it wasn't like I didn't give you any reason to be. Trust me; I blame myself for trusting Brady, that's on me, not you." Sam said with a reassuring look. Dean shook his head.

"No, it's not Sammy. I should've…when you went missing-if we hadn't found you-" He stopped when he felt his voice breaking. _Jesus, get a grip._

"But you did. I'm fine, Dean, thanks to you." He met his brother's eyes and they both knew that they were good.

"Hold me Sam, you're breaking my heart. I'll get a tissue." Sam snorted and looked away with the hint of a smile on his lips.

"Shut up." A more comfortable silence passed for a minute.

"You know it's not over, right?" Sam said quietly. Dean sighed, what he'd been thinking since last night felt even more real now.

"Yeah. Yeah, I know."


	18. Chapter 18

There was something wrong with him, there had to be. Sam hadn't felt like this before, like his skin was on fire but at the same time his teeth were clattering. The blood roared in his ears and his head pounded, like it was ready to explode at any second. He'd thought it was the effects of his body temperature going back to normal but it had only gotten worse. What was happening to him? His parents had talked to the doctors and they had done some tests, they were now waiting for the results.

"Water, Sammy?" Sam's eyes flew open; he'd forgotten that Dean was there. He held a glass of water in his hands but the sight made Sam's stomach churn.

"No, thanks." He said, swallowing thickly. Water was definitely not what he wanted.

"Okay, how do you feel?" Sam looked up to meet his brother's worried eyes.

"Like I've been hit by a truck and then set on fire. Dean, I've already told you and there's still no change."

"Maybe I should go see if the do-"

"Dean, when they know, they'll tell us. You harassing them won't help."

"But maybe-"Dean stopped when their parents came in with Dr. Winters. Her kind brown eyes quickly roamed over him, presumably evaluating if he'd gotten any better. She went to stand by the foot of his bed and his parents stood by Dean, looking down at Sam with concerned faces. Sam couldn't help but feel a bit exposed, he hated when people stared at him like this. Mary fiddled with her sleeve and John put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"How are you feeling Sam?" Dr. Winters asked, adjusting her glasses. He tried his best not to sigh; he was seriously going to lose it if anyone asked him that again.

"Been better." He replied as he wiped some sweat away from his forehead. She nodded sympathetically and looked down at the chart in her hands.

"Well, I've received your results and I'm sorry to tell you that we don't know the cause of your current condition, there's technically nothing wrong with you. Your symptoms would however indicate something else. I need you to be honest with me Sam, have you used any substance recently?"

"Substance?" Dean blurted irritably. Sam blinked, was she insane?

"Yes, drugs-"

"No offense, I know you think you're doing your job but what the hell are you talking about?" Dean demanded. John quieted him with a stern look and gave the doctor an apologetic smile.

"Sam's symptoms are similar to those you would have when suffering from abstinence, that's why I need you to be honest with me." She managed to keep her tone patient and calm, ignoring Dean and meeting Sam's eyes. He cleared his throat, she wanted an answer, what would he say? He hadn't exactly been using any drugs when he'd been tied to a chair in the middle of nowhere.

"I don't know what to tell you but I haven't been taking anything, I swear." He said calmly, holding her gaze. She studied him for a few seconds and nodded again, that small smile back on her face.

"Alright. I advise that you rest for a few days. You can leave shortly; I just need to fill out some papers, okay?" He nodded and returned her smile.

"Thank you." Mary murmured absentmindedly as the doctor left the room.

"You doing drugs?" Dean huffed as he sat down in the chair next to Sam's bed. "That's like saying I take ballet classes." Mary gave Dean a look and he looked down at his lap. She went to Sam's other side, sitting down.

"Sam, we need to talk." She said hesitantly, gesturing to John to close the door. He did and grabbed a chair to sit down.

"Are you seriously worried about what she just said? I am not taking d-"She put a hand on his arm.

"We know Sam; we know you wouldn't do something like that. It's not that." She sighed and shifted in her seat. "We have to talk about what happened, I need to know what he said to you." Sam froze at the thought of Azazel, those yellow, piercing eyes.

"Of course you do, afraid I've been brainwashed are you mom? Well, trust me; I already know everything I need to." Sam felt the anger well up again, did his father and brother know about her lies? Sam saw the hurt flash through her eyes.

"Sam, let you mother talk." John said firmly.

"I know you're upset with me, that's why I need to know what he said to you. He's a demon, manipulation is in his nature." Sam gave an inward sigh; he had no choice but to tell her.

"His name is Azazel. He uhm…he told me the truth. About you, about your past. He said you made a deal with him many years ago." Sam noticed that she tensed but he didn't want to meet her eyes.

"Yes, I did but I need you to-"

"Did you honestly make a deal with him knowing that he would use Dean and me? What kind of mother would put her children through that, to let them be turned into some freak shows-"He spat, he couldn't hold it back anymore.

"Calm down Sammy." Dean said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Mom, what is he talking about?"

"Sam, I did make a deal with him but you have to see that I didn't have any idea of what he would want. I wanted my husband alive but trust me, I still blame myself. What did you mean by freak sh-"

"How could you not know? We have to live with the consequences of that deal now, mom."

"I know and I'm so, so sorry, I need you to believe that. What did you mean before, about you and Dean?" Her worried voice made him meet her eyes. He hesitated, how could he tell her? The thought of what Azazel had said was sickening.

"Blood, mom. He gave us blood, when we were kids." She simply stared at him for a moment, letting it sink in. She finally drew a shaky breath and slowly let it out.

"What?" Her voice was cracked. Sam adverted his gaze, he almost felt a little ashamed for some reason. There was no way he could tell her everything without sounding like a complete maniac.

"He told me he gave us blood and when he had me tied up…he gave me more, mom. Said he had to prepare me for the end"." Sam spoke quietly, he felt drained, all anger had vanished. Mary abruptly stood up, turning and heading for the door with a hand clapped to her mouth. John hurriedly followed after a look at Dean. Sam felt a twinge of guilt, he knew he'd been a bit hard on his mom but she had to know the truth. He looked at his brother who was staring at the floor, looking paler than usual.

"You alright?" Sam asked, nudging his shoulder. Dean looked up and smiled feebly.

"Awesome. Although I kind of wish you were doing drugs right now." He chuckled to himself and ran a hand through his short hair. "You were serious weren't you? That demon-he actually fed us blood?" Sam didn't know what to say so he just nodded. Dean huffed and stood up, tensely pacing the room.

"That kinky son of a bitch." He muttered.

"Have you noticed anything weird lately, like dreams?" Sam asked, he had to know if he was the only one. Dean looked at him with one raised eyebrow.

"Uhm…well, no I don't think so, why?"

"Before you found me…I kind of had a dream with the three of you in the impala, coming to save me. And then you did." Sam hoped that the words didn't sound too bizarre coming out of his mouth. Dean blinked.

"So you're saying that you had a dream that came true? Like a vision?" Sam decided to ignore his brother's doubtful tone.

"Yeah, that's what the demon called it. It was like he was waiting for me to have the vision and afterwards he just…he just let me go, that's why you found me in the cemetery." Dean kept pacing, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"But why? Why us? I mean, what does he want with us?" He asked after a while.

"I don't know but from what he told me it seems like we're vital to some plan of his." Dean looked at him and sat back down. A minute of silence passed.

"Well, I don't know about you Sammy, but I think it's safe to say our lives are now majorly screwed to hell." Dean said and chuckled bitterly.

* * *

Dean could feel the tight grip his dream had on him, he tried to force himself awake, but he just couldn't, he was so tired. He was absolutely sure he was dreaming, his room was decorated with kids' stuff, the blue old dresser in the right corner and his chest full of toys right beside his bed. Dean got up from his bed with a teddy bear in his hand, _wait_ , he wasn't the one doing it. He could feel alarm rising as he tried to grasp for some kind of control over his own body, he was trapped. He sleepily walked out of his room; everything was so much bigger around him. _What the hell?_ Dean realized that it was because he was small, just a few years old. _Jeez, what did they put in that pizza I ate?_ He struggled with no result. Dean watched through his child eyes as he went down the hall. He froze midstep when there was a sound from Sam's room. No. There was someone in there, Dean could feel it. His child-self however did not and headed on in. _Shit, stop, wake up now goddammit._ A dark, tall figure stood by Sam's crib, slightly illuminated by the shine from the moon-shaped lamp on the wall. He felt himself drop the bear and the man turned.

"Who are you?" Dean heard himself say. The man looked at him curiously, a smile spreading across his face.

"I'm a friend. What's your name boy?" He said and took a few steps closer.

"I'm Dean and that's my brother Sammy. What are you doing in his room?" _No, no-_ Dean realized where this was headed although he didn't remember it. He wanted to wake up, _now._

"Is that so? Well, you see, I'm here to give your brother a present."

"Are you Santa?" The demon chuckled lightly and crouched down to Dean's height. The light reflected in his eyes, revealing a snake-like yellow color.

"You could say that, an early Santa at least. Tell me Dean, would you also like a present?" _Stop it, you evil son of a bitch!_ Dean wanted to yell but the words only echoed through his mind. He felt himself nod eagerly. Frantically he fought against his own dream, _wake up, wake UP!_ Dean bolted upright in his bed, his present bed in his present room. He drew in a jerky breath, wiping at his forehead, it was damp with sweat. Untangling himself from the sheets he sat on the edge of the bed. The house was quiet, everyone was asleep. He groaned to himself, his head was pounding.

"What the hell just happened?" He couldn't help but mutter in the dark.


	19. Chapter 19

Everything was fuzzy. _Come on!_ Sam thought exasperatedly. He squinted, why couldn't he see clearly? _Wait…_ He remembered this; he'd felt this before. The pain searing through Sam's skull was persistent but he tried his best to relax. After a few calming breaths his vision cleared. Instantly Sam realized that whatever he was seeing, it wasn't anything good. He felt chills go down his back and he instinctively shut his eyes. Taking a deep breath he collected himself, he had to know what was happening. _Dean._ It was definitely Dean he was seeing, working in the garage. But he wasn't alone. Sam could feel rather than see the person coming closer to his brother. Dean turned around slowly, the tense set of his shoulders told Sam that he was very well aware of that he was being watched. He didn't seem surprised though, like he'd been expecting whoever was there.

"What do you want?" Dean said, jaw clenching. There was a small chuckle coming from the other person. Panic shot through Sam quicker than he thought was possible, it was him. Sam stirred awake, sitting up in his bed, breathing heavily. He almost called out in surprise when he saw Dean standing close to his bed. Sam dragged a hand down his face and tried to somewhat calm his ragged breathing.

"Uhm, Dean, come to watch me sleep or something?" He couldn't really make out his brother's face in the dark but he could practically hear him roll his eyes.

"Yeah right. You were about to wake up the whole house, Sammy. I was up so I went to check on you. Bad dream?" Sam hesitated, would Dean believe him? At the same time he knew Dean would know if he hid anything.

"Not sure if it was just a dream. It felt like that dre...vision I had about you coming to get me." Dean turned the lamp on Sam's desk on. Sitting down in the chair by the desk, he crossed his arms.

"You mean your psychic vision thing? Hey, you know you could probably make a lot of money from th-" Sam groaned, he should've kept his mouth shut.

"Never mind, Dean. You don't have to believe me." Sam turned and lay back in his bed. Dean didn't move and Sam turned again, why wasn't he leaving? There was insecurity written across his face, lips pursed in thought.

"I never said I didn't believe you Sammy. Hell after what just happened you should be the one doubting me." Dean said with a bitter chuckle.

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked, sitting up straighter. He wasn't used to seeing his brother like this. Dean met his eyes briefly and then looked down at the floor again, rubbing his neck.

"Nah, it's nothing. Go back to sleep." He said and stood up.

"Come on Dean, don't shut me out. What happened?" Dean looked at him and after a moment he sighed.

"I also sort of had a dream. I was myself but only a few years old. That uhm..demon was in your room. I think you know what happened next." Sam felt his blood run cold.

"Are you sure?"

"I don't think it was just a dream, more like a memory Sammy. It was too…real; I mean I don't even remember that night when he came to our house." Dean spoke quickly, uncertainty in his eyes.

"So you think it was a vision? Of the past?" Dean snorted but Sam could tell that he was glad he was taking him seriously.

"God, I swear we're like some freaky psychic duo. Put us in a freaking circus." He was pacing the room, pinching the bridge of his nose. He paused and looked at Sam. "But yeah, I guess. Can't believe I actually just said that."

"Dean, it makes sense." His brother stared at him dumbfoundedly. Sam cleared his throat and continued. "I mean, if he gave the both of us blood, this must be some part of his plan right?" Dean sat back down again.

"I guess. What we don't know is what this plan of his looks like." Sam sighed and nodded.

"I have a feeling that he wants us to know soon. Dean, he's not done with us yet." Dean looked at him, one brow raised in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"The dream- I mean vision-I just had. He was in the garage and you were there. I don't know what he wanted but please Dean, promise me you won't go there. He's dangerous; I've seen what he's capable of." Dean didn't meet his eyes but after a few seconds he nodded.

"You're sure he'll be there? When?"

"I don't know, it's not like I can control what I see. Just promise me Dean?" Dean met his eyes briefly, seemingly deep in thought. Seeing Sam's pleading eyes he cleared his throat and stood up again.

"Yeah, Sammy, promise. Guess we should both get some sleep now, huh? Night." Dean gave Sam a small smile and headed out, carefully closing the door. Sam sighed to himself. He knew Dean's elusive behavior couldn't mean anything good.

* * *

Dean didn't want to, but he knew he had to. He had to see the demon; he was not going to have the both of them. If he really wanted them for his plan, one of them would have to do. He'd go to the garage in the morning like he usually would. _Dammit._ He would have to lie to Sam again, he hated doing that. Dean climbed into bed, trying to shake the fear of falling back asleep. That helplessness, that feeling of not being able to control his own body had been so unsettling, so wrong. Deep down Dean knew that it would happen again. _Here goes nothing,_ he thought and closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to come.

The light was unexpected. Dean wanted to close his eyes but he couldn't. It was happening again. He was in his room, the light coming in through the windows reflected in the mirror by the door, momentarily blinding him. _Wait, what?_ The mirror. Dean saw himself, a lot younger, maybe 7, staring at the reflection in the mirror. _God, this is too weird_. His younger self looked down at the piece of paper in his hands. There was messy doodling all over it, covering an illustration of their family. Dean wanted to laugh at the figure that was supposed to picture himself, standing next to their father, for some reason taller than him and with ears big enough to reach his shoulders. _Sammy_. Dean had a vague, recollection of this, Sam had drawn this. The picture had been on the fridge for a year or two. _Enough with the memory lane_. Dean fought against his own dream but to no avail. He wanted to scream in frustration but he couldn't. What was the point of this? Just to be an observer in his own memories and to feel nostalgic? No, there had to be some kind of reason for this. He heard small footsteps coming closer to his room.

"Deeean, I want to play." His little brother said, pouting dramatically as he came in through the door. _And they said I was a goofy-looking kid._

"Not now Sammy." He heard himself respond. Sam gave him a betrayed look and ran for the stairs.

"Mommy, Dean won't play with me!" Dean heard his brother whine. He tried again to gain control but all he was rewarded with was pain shooting through his head. _Come on!_ He paused his inward cursing, an idea forming. Maybe he should try a completely different approach. Dean relaxed, letting the dream take its' full hold on him, ignoring the sense of being an observer. After a minute he could see his surroundings becoming clearer, kind of like they'd been out of focus before. He now really felt the floor he was sitting on, he was no longer on the outside looking in, he was in control. Tentatively, he moved his right hand. The pain was suddenly there again but Dean just took a few deep breaths, not letting it affect him. Looking down, he saw his hand move. _Finally!_ Okay, he didn't know how long this would last for so he had to act fast. To know if this was an actual vision Dean would have to leave something behind, something that would be there when he woke up. He had to know if this was real or if it was just some really crazy lucid dreaming. Dean's eyes hurriedly roamed over the floor, landing on a pair of scissors next to a few crayons. He reached out and grabbed it. Dean got on his feet and headed towards the wood panel by the door. Before raising the pair of scissors, he paused to listen if there was anyone coming. No, he could hear Sam talking to their mother downstairs. He carved a small circle in the wood panel; it wasn't in his parents' eye level since he couldn't reach very far. The chance of them seeing it wasn't that probable.

"Dean, lunch!" He heard his mother call and he dropped the pair of scissors. _Shit_. He knew he was going to wake up; the vision was slipping away, his control faltering.

"Dean, time to get up!" His mother said as she opened his door. He was back. Sitting up, he groaned. The pain in his head was also back and he felt absolutely drained. Dean was halfway through a yawn when he realized what he'd just done. Shooting up from the bed, he went to the door and turned the light on. Dean blinked when he saw the small circle carved into the wood panel. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry, this was all too surreal. He bent down, tracing the circle with his finger. _This is whole new level of insane._


	20. Chapter 20

Sam observed his brother during breakfast. He was hiding something and Sam knew that whatever it was he wouldn't find out unless he wanted him to know. Mary poured herself some more coffee and grabbed the paper John was handing her.

"So, a busy day today at the garage, Dean?" John asked, sipping his coffee. Sam looked at Dean, willing him to look up but he ignored him. Dean swallowed his last piece of toast and stood up.

"Nah, I'm actually going to meet up with Luke today, if that's okay?"

"Luke? I could swear it's been ages since I saw him around." Mary said, setting the paper down.

"Yeah, talked with him a few days ago, it's been too long." Dean said stiffly and looked at John again who nodded.

"Sure. You deserve a break son." Dean nodded and headed towards the front door. Sam quickly followed, he wasn't stupid.

"Dean-"He said as he grabbed his shoulder before he could walk out. "You pro-"

"Come on now Sammy, I'll be back in a few hours, you don't have to miss me." He said with one of those annoying grins plastered on his face. Sam let his hand fall, if Dean was going to do something, he couldn't stop it. Sam didn't miss the glint of sadness in his brother's eyes before he turned again.

"Everything all right Sam?" Mary said when he closed the front door. She saw his worried expression and frowned.

"I don't know."

* * *

Dean drove away with a lump in his throat. He knew he had to do this, it was the only thing he could do. Azazel would not get his brother again, Dean would rather die. He couldn't be absolutely certain that Azazel would show up at the garage today but something told him that he would be there. Heavy drops of rain splattered on the windshield as he pulled up at the garage. Everything in him told him to get the hell out of there, to leave and don't look back. _Well, I was never the smart one anyway._ Ignoring his gut feeling he stepped out of the impala and unlocked the door to the garage. He reached for the light switch as he stepped inside. The lights turned on, flickered for a few seconds and went out. _Awesome._ Dean wasn't alone, that was for sure. He turned slowly when he felt an unmistakable presence behind him. Yellow eyes met his own, glistening in the dim room.

"What do you want?" Dean tried his best to keep his voice as even as possible. Azazel chuckled and stepped closer, now fully visible.

"You don't seem very surprised to see me Dean." He said with a knowing smile.

"I guess you could say I have my resources."

"Yes, that makes me happy. I'm really pleased with how Sam's powers have developed. You can never be sure how the abilities will evolve. Yours are…well, not what I expected." Dean snorted, what was he talking about?

"Again, what do you want?" He asked, patience running thin.

"To talk to you of course. I need you prepared for what I have in store for the two of you. Well mostly Sam but you could perhaps still be of use. I was sure any more house calls would be unnecessary and after the little chat Sam and I had and seeing his abilities… let's just say I knew you would come here willingly." Those yellow eyes sent a shiver down Dean's spine and he couldn't help but look away.

"You wanted to talk about your sick plan for us? Guess what? It's not happening, not the way you want it to." Azazel cocked his head to one side, studying him with an amused expression on his face.

"Watch your words boy. It's not just any plan. What's to come, it's revolutionary."

"I don't care. Whatever it is, leave my brother out of it. Just-just use me instead okay?" Azazel just stared at him for a few seconds with smug eyes.

"Noble, Dean, willing to sacrifice yourself. I admire that. But you know I can't leave Sam out of this. His potential is too great." Dean stepped closer with clenched fists, there had to be some way for Sam to escape this.

"Yes you can, you can have me instead and I'll do whatever you want." Dean took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "Please." He hated begging but right now he couldn't care less.

"And what would I want from you, Dean? Your abilities, they're not nearly what I expected. You're an anomaly." The mocking tone to his voice sent Dean over the edge, he snapped. Before he realized what he was doing, he'd stepped forward and grabbed Azazel's collar.

"You son of a bitch! An anomaly, huh? Then why the hell do I have those acid trip dreams? Just take me instead goddammit!" Azazel froze for a few seconds, eyes fixed on Dean's in disbelief.

"No…" Dean heard Azazel mumble before he shook him off with a force that sent him to the ground. Pain seared through Dean's elbow and he gritted his teeth as he turned to face him again. Azazel was staring at him with a shocked expression, something Dean didn't expect to see.

"It can't be." He said, his voice filled with disgust and something else. Fear. Dean saw Azaazel reach down for him but he abruptly vanished when there was the sound of the door opening. Dean hastily got to his feet, trying to calm his breathing.

"Hello?" Dean heard his dad's voice. He took a shuddering breath of relief and stood up. Where had Azazel gone? Did something happen when he touched him? The reaction he'd shown didn't make sense.

"In here, dad!" John came in, one brow raised in confusion.

"I thought you went to see Luke." _Shit_. John eyed him questionably, eyes searching behind him as if he suspected that someone else was in the garage.

"Yeah, well he cancelled on me last minute. Let's get to work shall we?" John blinked and then muttered something about kids these days. Dean went to change; he needed to be alone, away from his dad's sight. Sitting down, he ran a hand through his hair. Why had Azazel looked at him like that? Like he'd just realized something… like Dean was dangerous, a threat. _He hadn't known._ The words echoed through Dean's mind before he realized that they had even formed. He hadn't known about his powers, their full extent, he had thought they were useless. When he'd grabbed him…something must have clicked. _I am a threat,_ Dean realized. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing. He couldn't ignore the sickening sense that he was now in even more danger. If he could change the past through his dreams, he was a true risk to Azazel's plans. Dean looked down at his hands and sighed. How the hell had it come to this? Just a month ago he didn't even know about his mom's past life, about demons. A part of him was glad that they knew, that there were no more secrets but there was also a part nagging that they'd all be better off not knowing, being in the dark. A dark that used to insure safety, innocence. An innocence that had almost gotten Sam killed, Dean remembered bitterly. _Sammy._ There was no other way now, it would only get worse. Dean wasn't the problem like Azazel had said, an anomaly, he was the solution. He was the only one who could fix this.

* * *

Another excruciatingly boring day had passed, Sam was climbing the walls. Mary wanted him to wait a few days before he returned to school but there was nothing to do at home. Sam saw Dean park the impala in the driveway when a sharp pain shot through his head. The pain was familiar though, it told him that he was having another vision. Sam clutched his forehead, the pain was increasing. _I thought this only happened when I slept._ With a groan he sank to his knees on the kitchen floor, this pain was worse; it felt like knives carved through his skull. He vaguely heard the door open and footsteps coming closer. Sam gritted his teeth to keep himself from calling out. He huddled up in a fetal position, why wasn't it passing?

"Sammy?" He heard Dean rush to his side, bringing his head up. "Sammy, what's happening?" Hearing the panic in his brother's voice, he opened his mouth to answer but all that came out was another groan.

"Talk to me Sammy. Come on, please open your eyes." Sam felt hands brush hair out of his face. Taking a breath Sam hesitantly opened his eyes, slowly in case the pain would increase again. Darkness, all he saw was darkness. Panic bubbled up in his chest, what was wrong with this vision?

"Can-Can't see, Dean."

"What? We're getting you to the hospital. _Now._ " Sam felt Dean grab his arm to help him off the floor but Sam resisted.

"No, it's a v- _God_ \- vision." The pain increased again.

"What are you seeing?" Dean didn't have any doubts about his abilities anymore and in that moment Sam couldn't be gladder. Sam didn't have time to answer, the pain ebbed away and dots clouded his vision. Gradually Dean was coming into focus in front of him. Dean saw Sam's eyes focus on him and he understood that it was over. Sam felt himself sag and Dean held him upright by his shoulders. All energy vanished, he felt completely drained.

"Hey, you alright?" Dean's worried eyes searched his face. Sam nodded and the effort of it alone made him wince. "God, you scared me kid, don't do that again, okay?" Sam gave a small snort.

"I'll try not to." After a minute he finally felt like he could stand and Dean helped him to his feet.

"You okay? I thought that only happened when you slept?" Dean asked as he ushered Sam to sit by the kitchen table.

"Yeah, you're not the only one. I guess my abilities must be evolving somehow." Dean's eyes darkened, jaw clenching as he stared at the floor. He muttered some curse under his breath that Sam couldn't make out.

"What did you see?" He asked quietly.

"Just…nothing, it was completely black, utter darkness. I felt… I don't know, empty I guess." Dean frowned, meeting his gaze.

"What does that mean?" Sam shrugged hopelessly.

"Wish I knew. But I know that it's nothing good, Dean." They both fell silent for a minute, the ticking of clock on the wall filling the air.

"What happened today, Dean? Did he-" Dean cut him off, eyes insisting that they should drop the subject.

"Don't worry, Sammy. It's fine, okay? I'm fine." Once again, Sam knew that Dean was hiding something. Worry filled him; his brother's words didn't convince him the slightest.

* * *

"Come on! Seriously?" Dean exclaimed, feeling his ears heat up. They were having dinner and John was caught up telling one of his favorite memories from their childhood.

"Yes, Dean." He said and laughed. "I knew the two of you were playing so I took some time to relax, I think I watched a show or something. After a while you were suspiciously quiet so I walked downstairs and I found the two of you in the kitchen." Dean saw his mom's eyes light up as she interrupted.

"Was it that time when I was out with Anne-" John nodded enthusiastically and Mary laughed.

"You couldn't have been more than six, Dean. And Sam-" He paused, scratching his head. "Was it ketchup? Yeah I think it was. Sam, you were covered in ketchup; with the most ecstatic expression I have ever seen on your face. And you Dean, you were making something-god knows what you thought it was-with every type of ingredient you can imagine." Sam was laughing now, nudging Dean's side. He tried his best to keep his mouth from twitching.

"When I asked you what you were doing you just turned to me with eyes as big as saucers and said, 'Sammy said he was hungry, daddy.'" They were all laughing now and Dean scratched his neck.

"Is that why I can't stand ketchup now? Thanks for scarring me for life, Dean." Sam said with a snicker.

"Shut up." Dean huffed. John carried on telling another other story but Dean barely registered what he said. He studied his family with a sad smile. If Dean succeeded, everything could change. He couldn't know what the ripple effect would alter, the concept of time alone was enough to make his head hurt. If Dean could make it in time, if he stopped Azazel from giving Sam blood, Sam would be safe. Maybe Azazel would leave Dean alone if he didn't find out what his abilities were. If Azazel decided that his abilities were useless, he would leave their family alone. Sam threw his head back in laughter next to Dean as Mary said something. The weight on Dean's shoulders was overwhelming, too much for one person to handle. Reluctantly he realized that that this was the only thing that he could do. He had to do it.

Dean paused in front of Sam's door, hesitating. He could hear soft snores coming from his brother's room. Dean took a deep breath and ran a hand down his face. He could do this, everything would be fine. Carefully he opened the door, the faint light from the hallway illuminating Sam's room. He could see his brother's sleeping form shift restlessly. The house was quiet; everyone had gone to bed besides Dean. He was avoiding sleep, putting off what he knew could change everything. Sam turned in his sleep; maybe he was having a bad dream. Dean hesitated again before closing the door.

"Everything's going to be all right Sammy." He said softly and closed the door. Slowly he walked to his own room, not looking back.

Before sleep found him, Dean focused on the previous dream he'd had about that night when Azazel came to their house. Dean pictured it in his head, what he had seen, trying not to leave out any detail. Minutes passed and he could feel his conscience progressively losing its' grip. He didn't have to wait for his eyes to fly open to understand that he was now in the vision, in the past. Dean felt it again, the uneasy sense of not being in control of his own body. This time he knew exactly what to do. Relaxing, he let the vision embrace him until he could feel the texture of the sheets he was lying on. Dean had been slow the last time, struggling uselessly to gain control. _Not this time._ He quickly got on his feet, hurrying over to Sam's room while trying not to think too much about how weird it was seeing things from this perspective. The room was empty so far, there was no time to waste. Standing on the tips of his toes he reached down to carefully grab his brother. Sam's eyes fluttered open, his face lighting up with a smile before he yawned, his little mouth forming an o. Dean balanced his little brother, the weight heavy in his small arms. Placing Sam on his own bed, he wrapped the blanket around him tighter. Sam fussed irritably, not liking this.

"Quiet, Sammy, okay? You're going to be fine." Dean whispered and headed back to Sam's nursery. The sight of Azazel's back turned to him made Dean want to grab Sam again and run but he knew couldn't do that. Azazel turned to him when he heard his small footsteps entering the room. Those yellow eyes fixed on him curiously, an interested smile spreading across his face.

"And what do we have here? What's your name boy?" Azazel crouched down to Dean's height.

"Dean." He was trying his best not to spit him right in the face.

"Nice to meet you Dean. You have a little brother, isn't that so?" Dean nodded; there was no point in lying about that.

"Can you tell me where he is?" Dean decided on a shrug.

"He's not home now. Mom said he was sick." It would have to do; it would be obvious that he was lying if he gave him too much information. Azazel's eyes narrowed slightly, studying him. For a moment paranoia washed over him, what if Azazel could see right through him? What if he knew? The moment passed when Azazel gave him a light smile.

"Well, well. You see, Dean, I had planned on giving your brother a present but now that you're here…would you like a present?" Dean could almost feel bile rise in his throat, this was so twisted. He nodded and closed his eyes, he couldn't watch this. Dean heard a low chuckle before he could feel something dripping down his bottom lip to his chin. Automatically he wiped it away with his tongue and the copper taste made him want to throw up.

"There, that's it. We're going to see each other again someday, Dean. It might be a w-"Azazel head jerked and he abruptly stood up.

"Dean, are you here?" Panic burst through Dean, it was his dad's voice coming closer. That was all it took for Dean's control to slip, it fell out of his reach and when he tried to reach for it again, it only got harder. When his dad entered the room he couldn't feel the floor he was standing on anymore. _No, no!_ Even if he had all the willpower in the world, there was no way he could relax enough to retake control again.

"Dean, why is S-" John froze when he saw Azazel in front of Dean. In less than one second John had Dean behind his back, pushing him out of the room.

"Who the hell are you? Why are you with my son, you son of a bitch?!" John spat. The only response he got was an amused chuckle. John turned to Dean with wild eyes.

"Dean, take your brother outside as fast as you can, don't look back. Now, Dean go!" Dean felt himself nod and then sprint towards his room, looking back to see John watch him go. _DAD! No, no, this can't be happening…_ Frantically Dean tried again, he had to stop this, his dad didn't understand how dangerous Azazel was. Sam looked up at him with big eyes as he picked him up, clueless of what was going on.

"Mommy!" He heard himself yell as he ran with Sam in his arms towards his parents' bedroom. There was a muffled groan from the nursery; Dean felt his blood run cold.

"Dean? What's going on?" Mary came out and groggily rubbed her eyes.

"I don't- don't know. There was a man and daddy told me to run." Dean saw his mom freeze but before she could say anything something shook the entire house. Heat welled over them, smoke spreading rapidly. Fire.

"Take Sam outside _now_ , Dean. I'll be right behind you." She ran for the nursery and Dean hurried downstairs, pushing the front door open. The cold air was unexpected and his ragged exhales formed clouds in the air. Looking up, he saw that the nursery was on fire, flames spreading quicker than he thought possible. _This can't be happening, this can't be happening…please just let me wake up!_

"JOHN!" He heard his mom scream from inside the house, voice hoarse with smoke. The vision was faltering, slipping away from Dean's reach. _This is all my fault, everything has changed…God…_ He wanted to scream, wake up, anything, this couldn't be happening. The last thing he saw before darkness engulfed his mind was his mom stumbling out through the front door, coughing intensively, her cries shaking her body. No one came out after her. Then all Dean had ever known was gone, erased. Everything turned dark.

 _April, 1998, Salt Lake City, Utah_

The light coming in through the windows woke Dean. He rolled over with a sigh, waiting. His mom would come in any minute, informing him that it was time for breakfast. Sure enough, the door opened and his mom's head peaked inside.

"Breakfast, Dean." He hummed in response and forced himself out of bed. Sam was already up, sitting in the small kitchen of their apartment.

"Morning." Dean said as he ruffled his brother's hair, earning himself an annoyed huff. As he sat down Mary handed him a bowl of cereal. Dean saw his brother hesitate, there was something he wanted to say. Questioningly Dean raised one eyebrow but Sam ignored him and turned to their mom.

"Mom, Jake asked me if I wanted to join him and Tom to Heber City, his dad has a place there. Is it okay if I go after school? I wouldn't be home too late." Dean saw his mom's shoulders tense and he sighed. _Seriously? Again?_ She turned to Sam with stern eyes.

"You know I don't like that Sam. I can't risk something happening to you." She said and opened the fridge, pouring herself a glass of juice.

"But mom-"

"I said no, Sam." Her definite tone made Sam fall quiet, frustrated defeat written across his face. Dean pinched the bridge of his nose; he was so tired of this.

"What could happen to him mom?" She met Dean's gaze; she obviously hadn't expected him to say anything.

"Dean, don't." She said with a clear warning in her voice.

"No, seriously mom, what could happen? Is some demon going to find us all these years?" Her eyes hardened with anger.

"Dean, stop-" Dean ignored his brother.

"The chance of you smothering him to death with this protective crap is more probable than him actually running into a demon. You can't protect us forever, mom." Mary looked at him, anger and sadness filling her eyes. She nervously fiddled with the wedding ring she still wore. Setting the glass down, she headed to her bedroom without a word. Sam sighed and stood up.

"Thanks a lot, Dean." He said with a glare.

"Well, you weren't exactly standing up for yourself Sammy. Go with your friends after school, I'll deal with her." Sam rolled his eyes and grabbed his backpack.

"Whatever, see you later." Dean stayed in his seat when Sam had left. He knew he had to get to the garage, Jim wouldn't be happy if he was late again. Before he left he paused to listen, there was no sound coming from his mom's room. Dean hated this, her silence when they had fought. Usually it would be better between them after a few hours. He hoped this time wouldn't be different.

When Dean came home he wasn't surprised to find Sam by the table studying. Yet frustration filled him; he had decided not to go with his friends after all. Dean sat down opposite his brother. Sam noticed Dean's tense jaw and put his pen down.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't do this anymore Sammy. This fighting, it's tiring. I- I have to find that demon who killed dad; it's all I can think about. Mom…you know that's all she thinks about too, but she won't actually look for the demon, she won't risk our safety." Sam met his eyes and nodded.

"Are you with me Sammy? Will you help me? Cause if you are we can't tell mom, she'd kill me." Sam chuckled lightly and stared down at his lap. Feeling Dean's wondering eyes on him he looked up after a minute.

"Yeah. I always am Dean, you know that." Sam said with a small smile. A spark of hope ignited within Dean, they could do this. He knew deep down that he couldn't bring himself to do it alone, but they could do this together, he was sure of that.

"Well, then." He stood up, smiling down at his brother's face. "We got work to do."

 **A/N: So here it is guys. As we all might have understood from the show, the boys rarely see a full happy ending and that's where I felt this story taking me. However, this is not the end. There will be another story which will pick up where I left off, a sequel of sorts. When I'll post it exactly, I don't know but definitely sometime soon. Please let me know what you thought, reviews are appreciated! Thanks! :)**


	21. Sequel

I have now posted the first chapter to the sequel. Please check it out if you're interested. s/11582396/1/Make-Me-Fade


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